Social Insertion Actions

II Donkeys of Brazil Workshop: Professor Debora Evangelista Façanha organized the II Donkeys of Brazil Workshop.  The Sustainable Future was hosted in Fortaleza/CE, from August 21 to 23, 2024, at the Legislative Assembly of Ceará. During the meeting, it was emphasized that bioeconomy models, as advocated by one of the Federal Government’s main agendas, require a ban on the slaughter of donkeys in Brazil, following the example of the entire African Continent. The Workshop consolidated an international multidisciplinary working group made up of experts from different areas: veterinarians, zootechnicians, biologists, philosophers, lawyers, among others. Furthermore, discussions were held with members of civil society, Universities, with emphasis on the Postgraduate Course in Animal Science at UFERSA, as well as government bodies.

Participants of the II Donkeys of Brazil Workshop

Training fishermen
The Aquaculturist Training activity consists of visiting needy fishing communities in the region and identifying any difficulties that fishermen present. Graduates propose ways to help communities minimize these difficulties. As examples, training has already been carried out on the use of GPS, capture and handling of lionfish and a visit is currently being prepared to help fishermen obtain fishing licenses.

1st Potiguar Symposium on Animal Science – The 1st Postgraduate Symposium on Animal Science – UFERSA was primarily aimed at disseminating the work developed in the Postgraduate Program in Animal Science (PPGCA) at the Federal Rural University of Semi-Árido (UFERSA), however, it was open to undergraduate students from that institution who were interested in participating as listeners. Presented as lectures: Strategies for Veterinary Medicine in Postgraduate Studies – CAPES, Three-dimensional morphometry and its applications and Understanding meta-analysis. The event featured the presentation of work developed by master’s and doctoral students. The Event took place in December 2023.

Closing of the 1st Potiguar Symposium on Animal Science

Student League of Surgery and Anesthesia Veterinary Medicine – Professor Valeria Veras is responsible for the Student League of Veterinary Surgery and Anesthesia. The Student League of Veterinary Medicine for Surgery and Anesthesia (LECAV) at UFERSA is a project developed by undergraduate students in the Veterinary Medicine career who have interest, skill and affinity with the areas of surgery and anesthesiology, under the guidance of the professor and postgraduate undergraduates, assisting in the planning and execution of methodologies capable of expanding and disseminating the teaching of veterinary surgery and anesthesiology at the Institution.

Academic League for Small Animal Studies – LAEPA/UFERSA – The Project is coordinated by professor Alexandre Rodrigues, involving the direct participation of 34 students from the Veterinary Medicine course. The Academic League for Studies in Small Animals (LAEPA) is a non-profit academic association formed by students of the Veterinary Medicine course at the Universidade Federal Rural do Semi-Árido (UFERSA), Mossoró Campus, which promotes the experience of extension, teaching and research on topics related to the medical and surgical clinic of dogs and cats, as well as the management, anatomy and physiology, diseases (zoonotic or not) and particularities of these animals, in addition to making pertinent importance of clinical-surgical sub-areas, such as cardiology, nephrology, pulmonology and feline medicine, for example. Among the actions carried out. We can mention: Lectures for Veterinary Medicine students, Training of Veterinary Medicine students to work in the Anti-Rabies Vaccination Campaign, in partnership with the CCZ, in the city of Mossoró, from August to September 2023; Action to disseminate basic knowledge through the production of pamphlets to work with the community at the UFERSA stand at Festa do Bode/2023 in Mossoró; Anti-rabies vaccination campaign promoted in partnership with the Mossoró Zoonosis Control Center.

Refresher courses in veterinary medicine – Teachers from the Animal Science program are involved in training professionals in areas linked to the postgraduate program. The following actions can be cited: Professor João Marcelo Antunes taught an Abdominal Ultrasonography course at the Center for Veterinary Studies in Imaging in May/2023 with a workload of 20 hours.  Professor Valéria Veras participated in the Veterinary Medicine Week as a specialization cycle, as a speaker on the topic “Updates in the Treatment of Chronic Pain in Dogs and Cats” held at the Federal University of Campina Grande – Paraíba from the 20th to the 23rd of September 2023.

Education in schools about animal care – During National Traffic Week, teacher Cecília Calabuig made children aware of the importance of caring for different species of animals in traffic at Mossoró City Hall, from September 18 to 25, 2023, with cargo 10-hour schedule for public school children with assistance from postgraduate students Luan Arthur Queiros Lima and Renata Kelly.

Animal care at the Dix-huit veterinary hospital – Professors Alexandre Rodrigues Silva, João Marcelo Antunes, Raimundo Barreto Junior and Valeria Veras de Paula provide care or are responsible for activities in specialized laboratories. In addition to the social importance of caring for animals whose owners are predominantly needy, there is interaction between Lato sensu, Stricto sensu postgraduate students who accompany the advisor in associated activities. Care Services in Reproductive Clinic for Dogs and Cats.

Participation in the Apodi/Mossoró River Hydrographic Basin Committee – Professor Gustavo Henrique Gonzaga participates in the technical chamber that represents its importance to society, due to its consultative and deliberative functions, important participation and integration in water management, due to its direct impact on life of river basin users. The professor contributed technical knowledge to solve problems related to the use of water resources in the Apodi-Mossoró River Basin.

Tropical Water Research Alliance (TWRA) – Professor Gustavo Gonzaga Silva is part of the Tropical Water Research Alliance project – an International Network for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Development in Tropical River Basins. The objective is to create an international partnership between Brazilian and Australian researchers and develop environmental technologies and methodological supports for the integrated and sustainable management of tropical basins, through staff training and mitigation of the effects of environmental degradation and climate change. Its specific objectives are: (I) Apply integrated scientific protocols (case studies) between research groups in Brazil and Australia; (II) Develop integrated management (Governance) of tropical river basins, uniting academia, public and private organizations and sectors of society from the perspective of sustainable development (e.g. smart cities, agroforestry, water reuse, payment for environmental services); (III) Develop a Startup incubation program aimed at an enterprise, a Scientific Services Company, to respond to social demands such as pollution, depletion of water resources, production, analysis and organization of a database with a solid and growing international reputation; (IV) Promote a public and private training program, social technologies, application of scientific knowledge and production of sustainable income for users.

Assessment of fishing with native species in reservoirs of the Apodi/Mossoró river basin – Professor José Luis Novaes, as a social insertion, has carried out extension work with the species Prochilodus brevis, a species native to semi-arid basins, in reservoirs of the Apodi/Mossoró river, with the objective of conserving the species and promoting artisanal fishing.

Project with seafood restaurants – project developed by teacher Gustavo Henrique Gonzaga da Silva, associated with teaching members Raquel Lima Salgado, Jean Berg Alves da Silva, Ambrósio Paula Bessa Junior – DCA/UFERSA, Fabiana Lo Tierzo, João Dehon da Silva – IDIARN. And also the participation of the junior company from the undergraduate courses in Ecology and Fisheries Engineering at UFERSA and students from the Postgraduate Program in Animal Science at UFERSA. Artisanal fishing plays a prominent role as a source of employment, income and food, helping to reduce poverty, especially in coastal communities. In Brazil, artisanal coastal fishing contributes approximately 60% of total marine fish production, and in the coastal region of Costa Branca in Rio Grande do Norte, part of the community survives from extractivism, especially the bivalve mollusk Anomalocardia flexuosa. However, the exploitation of this mollusk still does not have efficient technological procedures capable of ensuring complete safety of the commercialized product. Currently, the seafood caught has been sold at a reduced price and without certification. Therefore, it is necessary to insert elements for evaluation and management that incorporate sustainable exploitation of natural resources, aiming for new products and markets, through the certification of supervisory bodies and the construction of legislation regulating the production and processing of bivalve molluscs in the state of Rio. Great North. This extension project has the general objective of improving the working conditions and income of shellfish gatherers in the municipality of Grossos, RN.

Sabiá Platform. It is a project in partnership with UFERSA and in partnership with the Ministry of Regional Development under the coordination of Professor Dr. Jean Berg Alves from PPGCA. It has the objective of integrating researchers, producers, banks, universities, governments and businessmen, having technology registries, users area, georeferenced database and analyzed by a curator, relationship channels – such as chats, forums, messages and FAQs, bank of notices, experience reports, etc. The digital space will also prospect financing resources (financing simulators and crowdfunding) and create a bank of opportunities with searches, details, identification of parameters and technological assessments made in real time.

Pint of Science. UFERSA, in partnership with the State University of Rio Grande do Norte (UERN), participates in the Pint of Science, a world festival that has the proposal to democratize scientific knowledge and that this year will be held online via Youtube from 8th to 10th of September. Altogether, 72 Brazilian cities are part of the event, each presenting its program. The event is open to the public and its general coordinator in Mossoró is Professor Cibele Borges (UFERSA), with Professor Marcelo Barbosa Bezerra, from PPGCA, one of the members of the organizing committee. On the occasion, Professor Dr. Sidnei Sakamoto, from PPGCA, participates in the discussion of the theme “What will be our future – buy a vaccine and take a free pandemic?” Along with Prof. Francisco Silvestre, from the Center for Biological Sciences at UFERSA.

Production of Face-Shields for Professors and Students. The project coordinated by professor Prof. Dr. Marcelo Barbosa Bezerra, from PPGCA, developed facial protectors based on acrylic resin, destined for the Medicine department, being distributed to professors, administrative technicians and students who need assistance and face-to-face activities during the Pandemic period. Protectors were also sent to the Center for Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Hospital (HOVET).

Veterinary Medicine Webinar: From UFERSA to the World. Event conceived by the coordination of the Veterinary Medicine course in reference to the passage of the Veterinary Doctor’s Day, celebrated on September 9, with the participation of professors from the PPGCA. Dr. Paulo Henrique Cavalcante, former advisee of the professor Sidnei Sakamoto, who gave a lecture on Veterinary Clinic for Large Animals in the Arabian Peninsula; and Dr. Carlos Magno Oliveira Júnior, former advisee of the professor Moacir Franco de Oliveira, who gave a lecture on The Role of the Veterinarian in Animal Production in the Amazon Region.

Junior Animal Science Company at UFERSA. Junior company federated with RN Júnior (Federation of Junior companies of the State of Rio Grande do Norte), being the 1st Junior federated of Zootechnics federated from Rio Grande do Norte, developed under the tutorship of Professor Prof. Patrícia Lima, from the PPGCA.

Ufersa Institutional Permanence Program. Through an official announcement from the Pro-Rectories of Student Affairs – PROAE and Research and Post-Graduation – PROPPG, student housing was granted to foreign students linked to UFERSA, among which the student Ana Michel Garcia Varella, a native of Honduras, who came through the PAEC international exchange program.

Jandaíra Honey Route in Rio Grande do Norte – a project approved by the Ministry of Regional Development and one of the coordinators is professor Jean Berg Alves da Silva, from the Animal Health line, aiming at mapping the production of jandaíra honey in Rio Grande do Norte, evaluating aspects of production and product quality.

Cordeiro Potiguar Project – It is coordinated by professor Patrícia Lima de Oliveira, from the Production and Conservation line of the semiarid region, and has as members the professor Jean Berg Alves da Silva, from the Animal Health line. Its members are Jean Berg Alves da Silva, from the Animal Health line. It aim at mapping the production of lambs in Rio Grande do Norte, assessing aspects of production and product quality, and seeking to develop technologies aimed at the use of water for the production of forage. The project counts in addition to the Ministry of Regional Development, with SEBRAE and IDIARN, having received financial resources in the order of R $ 500,000.00 (Five hundred thousand reais).

Rota do Cordeiro: Health and Product Quality – a project approved by the Ministry of Regional Development and its members are Jean Berg Alves da Silva and Raimundo Alves Barreto Junior, both from the Animal Health line. This project has aimed to map the main conditions that affect the newborn sheep herd and the quality of its products. The project counts in addition to the Ministry of Regional Development, with SEBRAE and IDIARN, having received financial resources in the order of R $ 250,000.00 (Two hundred and fifty thousand reais).

Platform for the Semi-Arid Technologies Portfolio – Platform approved by the Ministry of Regional Development and one of the coordinators is professor Jean Berg Alves da Silva, from the Animal Health line. It aim to develop a platform that gives visibility to the technologies developed for the semiarid, allowing the integration between universities or research centers and public and private actors from different areas of economic development in the Brazilian semiarid region. The project counts in addition to the Ministry of Regional Development, with SEBRAE and IDIARN, having received financial resources in the order of R $ 1,000,000.00 (One million reais).

Project “Animals from UFERSA – A Action for Everyone” – Professor Alexandre Rodrigues and Prof. Alexsandra Fernandes Pereira participates as members of this important project, created in 2019, under the coordination of Prof. Dr. Nilza Dutra Alves, from the Graduate Program in Environment, Technology and Society. The action is aimed at the development of the care for these animals, including feeding, reproduction control, care for the environment, society and dispersing waste and garbage, with the clusters of dogs and cats on the streets, especially during the cio period. It aims to reduce significantly the harm caused to the environment, the population of Mossoró\RN, the UFERSA community, professors, undergraduate and graduate students and administrative technicians.

Inspection of products of animal origin for the Municipality of Mossoró. The City of Mossoró signed on July 8, 2019, the law that regulates the Municipal Inspection Service – SIM, which is now linked to the Brazilian System for the Inspection of Products of Animal Origin – SISBI, of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply. With this, the Municipal Inspection Service will be responsible for inspecting minimally processed products of animal and vegetable origin. UFERSA, together with SEBRAE, participated in all the standardization and now enters into the provision of this service through an agreement that must be signed with the City Hall.

Provision of Veterinary Services and Integration with the Residence. Through the Veterinary Hospital of UFERSA, the professors Carlos Iberê, João Marcelo Antunes, Raimundo Alves Barreto and Valéria Veras work with the population, as well as tutoring the Veterinary Residency at UFERSA.

Publication of teaching material in language accessible to society. A clear example of the result of this goal achieved was the publication of the booklet entitled “Termination of lambs in confinement fed with whole grain” as a result of the thesis of PPGCA student Hélia Maria de Sousa Leite, guided by Prof. Patrícia Lima, and promoted by SEBRAE, RN.

Another clear example of this incentive was the launch of the book “Reproduction of Dogs”, which was developed by the partnership between Marcelo Rezende Luz of UFMG and Alexandre Rodrigues of PPGCA. It is important to highlight the social insertion made possible by the launch of the book, since the main target audience was dog breeders.

Provision of Veterinary Services. Through the Veterinary Hospital of UFERSA, the professors Carlos Iberê, João Marcelo Antunes, Raimundo Alves Barreto and Valéria Veras work with the population, as well as tutoring the Veterinary Residency at UFERSA.

Partnership with the shrimp farming company (Aquarium) and Aquaculture Cooperatives of the Açude de Umari (Upanema – RN). Partnerships established through the professor Gustavo Henrique Gonzaga da Silva, aiming to evaluate the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the activities of breeding of marine fish shrimp in net tanks in the hydrographic basin of the Apodi / Mossoró river, in order to improve the income conditions and sustainability of these activities. Part of the resources for the development of this extension and research project was provided by the Aquarium Company itself and by the Aquaculture Cooperative, totaling an approximate amount of R $ 28,000.00 related to the expenses with the acquisition of aquatic organisms for their production, as well as feed and other inputs.

Population control program for pets using the surgical sterilization method. Professor Valéria Veras de Paula works in this program with the Veterinary Hospital of UFERSA, bringing together professionals and students, in order to perform castrations in dogs and cats, in order to reduce the stray population on the university campus, as well as in communities close to the institution.

Good habits. Training and well-being of donkeys in the Northeast. Relevant social project developed with MAPA resources, in the order of R $ 200,000.00. It has Prof. Valéria Veras de Paula, and aims to develop strategies to control the wandering population of donkeys around the highways and cities of RN.

Technological alternatives for the full use of the flying fish, Hirundichthys affinis (Günther, 1866). Project under the coordination of professor Alex Augusto Gonçalves aims to develop, measure and evaluate technological alternatives for the full use of the flying fish, thus promoting the inclusion of this species of low commercial value on the table of the potiguar consumer, as well as the growth of technological and innovation research in Northeast Brazil. This project is funded by R $ 39,600.00 from CNPq (Call CNPq No. 12/2016 – Research Productivity Grants – PQ), duration 2017-2019 (Process: 305727 / 2016-8).

Information on the life cycle of species of importance for commercial fishing. Professor José Luiz Novaes developed this project, aiming to establish norms and rules for fishing control and stock conservation. This project is funded by R $ 39,600.00 from CNPq (Call CNPq No. 12/2016 – Research Productivity Grants – PQ), duration 2017-2019 (Process: 305727 / 2016-8).