Gerson Souto Tembissa, Mozambique, Masters candidate in Rural Engineering at Eduardo Mondlane University, Maputo. I am passionate about agro-ecology, however, I developed more interest in environmental conservation when I was invited to participate in an environmental diagnosis in 2012 to verify the impacts caused by farming on steep areas in the province of Manica (Penhalonga) [Mozambique]. I am currently a teacher trainee at Universidade Pedagógica, monitoring the subject of Introduction to Planning in the course of Environmental Management and Community Development, where I hope to raise awareness for more communities and create more interventions through some field activities that I am planning.

What inspires me to participate in this Symposium is that I want to seek new technical and scientific skills that allow me to be more dynamic through the spirit of awareness and responsibility. Also, I believe that the knowledge gained will help in decision making, management and resolution of environmental conflicts, which will help improve social and economic development, ensuring income for other productive activities of the communities that are in situations vulnerable to poverty because they depend on the natural resources for their survival.