The State University of Maringá (Universidade Estadual de Maringá – UEM) is part of a statewide network composed by Mesoregional Centers of Excellence in Dairy Technology (Centros Mesorregionais de Excelência em Tecnologia do Leite). In the university, the Experimental Farm of Iguatemi (Fazenda Experimental de Iguatemi – FEI) holds one of eight Centers located in public universities throughout the state of Paraná.
The network consists of geographic regions within the state where dairy activity is expressive. Its aim is to articulate teams of researchers, rural extension professionals, and students of undergraduate and graduate courses to produce better results in organized research activities.
In practice, Mesoregional Centers serve the purpose of supporting the production chain by improving quality, workers’ wages, and product distribution. They also expand the technological outreach of knowledge acquired in higher education institutions and applied research.
Additionally, UEM’s Mesoregional Center of Excellence in Dairy Technology contributes to the integration of university and external community, either through contact with farmers and their representatives or through contact with the industry and the end consumer, all of which are directly or indirectly benefited by its research.
Moreover, the Mesoregional Center offers support to undergraduate programs such as Animal Science and Food Engineering, and to graduate programs such as Animal Science, Food Science and Food Engineering.
Finally, the project is also relevant to the Experimental Farm of Iguatemi (Fazenda Experimental de Iguatemi – FEI) by granting laboratorial infrastructure and extending its scope regarding dairy technology development, research and academic outreach activities.
The Center has its own infrastructure and it is located in the Experimental Farm of Iguatemi. It accommodates an auditorium with capacity for 80 people, a room dedicated to classes and training with capacity for 40 people, a greenhouse area, muffle furnaces and high-performance laboratories for dairy quality, food and animal nutrition analysis.
Translated by:
Natalia Corbello Pereira
Proofread by:
Liliam Cristina Marins