Portuguese

Abstract

This article presents an experience report on the implementation of the municipal project Rolê Agroecológico, an innovative public policy initiative originally conceived by the São Paulo Municipal Department of Education. The project promotes food, environmental, and territorial education through agroecological experiences with urban and peri-urban farmers, engaging public school students in hands-on activities aligned with the school curriculum. The report highlights the perspective of the women leading the Nia Hub – the first Brazilian Social Science, Technology and Innovation Institution (ICT) founded and directed exclusively by women – responsible for part of the technical execution of the project in partnership with the public sector and the Center for Recovery and Nutritional Education (CREN). The initiative integrates agroecology, education, and inclusive economic development, resulting in more than 670 learning experiences, 69 accredited productive units, nearly 15,000 participating students, and over R$ 1.4 million in direct income generated for farmers. The project also served as a laboratory of applied social management, combining methodological innovation, territorial sensitivity, and collaborative knowledge production. Grounded in the frameworks of social management and feminist epistemologies, this report illustrates the role of civil society organizations in co-producing structural and emancipatory public policies. By documenting this trajectory, the article contributes to academic and practical debates on territorial transformation, social justice, and new ways of designing public policies based on listening, collaboration, and care.