FAPESP Panels
Gerd Sparovek Versão em português
Steering Committees for Special Programs - Public Policy Program
Gerd Sparovek is a retired full professor at the University of São Paulo (USP-Esalq), Soil Science Department where he supervises students and collaborates on several research projects. Gerd is an Agronomist (USP-Esalq-1983) and got a Ph.D. in soil science (USP/Esalq-1993). He had a pos-doc period in Germany (1999-2001) and Sweden (2014-2015). After an initial academic career in research on soil science, developing pedology and soil erosion modeling, he established GeoLab in 1999.
GeoLab is an applied geospatial modeling research network that develops spatial and strategic information to support decisions on environmental and rural development policy & governance implementation. Since its inauguration, GeoLab worked on several Brazilian policies related to family-based agriculture, agrarian reform, food procurement, low-carbon agriculture, land credit, rural extension, farm intensification, deforestation, agricultural expansion of irrigated crops, private-land native vegetation protection, financial mechanisms for environmental conservation, among others.
The usual methodology is based on solid biophysical modeling, done collaboratively with governmental agencies, by cocreating applied research in interdisciplinary and multi-stakeholder groups. Policy and governance-related research, covering several Brazilian environmental and rural development key problems, are the main subjects of his research network.