Universities and the Advancement of Agroecology: Reflections on Hunger and the Invisibilization of Traditional Knowledge

Abstract

This article discusses the importance of integrating traditional knowledge with scientific understanding within the context of universities, focusing on the development of agroecology and its social implications. The research analyzes how ancestral knowledge can contribute to building more sustainable and resilient production systems and reflects on the challenges faced by the institutionalization of such knowledge in universities, which often invisibilize or underestimate popular knowledge in favor of a technicist perspective. It also discusses the issue of hunger throughout various periods in history and the need for autonomous food production spaces. The article emphasizes that, in order to achieve inclusive and effective agroecology, an equitable dialogue between scientific knowledge and traditional practices is essential, considering cultural and environmental interactions.