Avílio Antônio Franco

Undergradation in Agronomy by the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro (1967) ,MSc in Microbiology - University of New South Wales (1974) and PhD in soil Science - University of California (1981). Post Doctoral at the University of Brisbane 2003. Soil Scientist and Science Mannager at the Brazilian Agricultural Research Enterprise - EMBRAPA from 1968 to 2004, Subsecretary of the Science and Tecnology Ministery from 2004 to 2007 and Superintendent of the area to finance the Technological Institutes of the Agency FINEP from 2007 to 2011. Agricullture consultant for the Rio de Janeiro S,T&I Finnacing Agency from 1996 to 2005 and teaching at the Agronomy graduation course of the Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro since 1974. Expertise in the areas of Agronomy, with foccus on soil microbiology, soil fertility, plant nutrition related to: Biological Nitrogen Fixation, the use of tropical trees legumes for land reclamation and in agroforest systems.