Graduate Program in Computing Technologies applied to Agribusiness
The Graduate Program in Computing Technologies applied to Agribusiness (PPGTCA) began its activities in 2015.
The Program is assessed by CAPES under the area of knowledge of Interdisciplinary studies, and is part of the economic scenario of the western region of Paraná, where we can highlight crop production of grains, production of poultry, pigs and dairy farming and their processing through small, medium and large agroindustries in the region.
Due to its economic and social relevance, many professionals seek to work and pursue further studies in this sector in order to enhance and facilitate their activities so that they become increasingly competitive in the market, thus having a regular flow of prospective students from this institution or nearby cities.
There is an expressive number of prospective students, especially in the area of computing, as there is no similar master’s program available in public or private institutions in the western region of Paraná in this field of study, besides an arousing interest of people from other regions of the state and the country.
The program emerged from its good relationship with society in order to meet its expectations, due to its regional aspects, in agreement with a qualified and integrated faculty to perform interdisciplinary research, and the institutional support.
Research Lines
Computing Technologies applied to the Agroindustry
It aims to apply technologies in the automation, control and performance assessment of agroindustry production processes, as well as in the development of new products and processes. Thus, we encourage researches using technologies related to Quality Control and Good Manufacturing Practices of agro-industrial products, process safety and creation of devices to facilitate and improve agro-industrial production. Among the interdisciplinary studies related to agro-industrial production and relevant to this line of research are Agro-industrial Systems Engineering and the food processing (meat, dairy and vegetable).
Computing Technologies applied to Agricultural Production
It aims at researching the productive process of agricultural systems and related areas, such as soil fertility and soil and crop management, agricultural production and products, using computing techniques such as digital image processing, geoprocessing, electronics, robotics, sensors (transducers), geographic databases and data analysis. Using computing techniques, we seek to developed new technologies and devices that may be used in this chain of production, to improve safety, reduce human effort and optimize and/or automate production processes, and to reduce the environmental impact caused by agricultural practices. The study of soil-water-plant dynamics as well as agricultural production through genetics and environment are relevant interdisciplinary themes to agricultural production and are at the core of this line of research.