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Biography of Contributors
Alexander Álvarez Fonseca
Born on 21 November 1976, Alexander graduated as an agricultural engineer from Granma
University in 2010. Gaining a Master’s in Agricultural Sciences in 2016, he works at Jorge Dimitrov
Agricultural Research Institute, Bayamo, Granma, Cuba, carrying out investigations on the laser
and ionising radiation effects on seeds, with several scientifc articles published in refereed reviews.
He participates in the Local Agricultural Innovation Program, leading the participatory plant breeding studies in the eastern region of Cuba, which is involved with many research and technological
innovation projects.
Luis Enrique Arias Basulto
Luis Enrique Arias Basulto graduated as an agricultural engineer from the Higher Institute of
Agricultural Sciences of Bayamo (ISCAB) in 1984 (today Granma University). An auxiliary researcher
in 2002, he gained a Master’s in Agricultural Sciences in 2003. From 1985 to 2006, he was a researcher
at the Jorge Dimitrov Agricultural Research Institute, conducting research such as the establishment
of the institution’s fruit tree germplasm bank, setting up and conducting experiments in coffee cultivation related to the management of new plantations and established plantations, considering pruning,
shade regulation and planting density, as well as the study of different coffee genotypes resistant to
rust. He became Assistant Professor in 2007 at the University of Granma. He has undertaken more
than 40 postgraduate courses and is author and co-author of 17 scientifc publications. He has been the
tutor of several undergraduate theses and taught seven postgraduate courses.
Pedro Boff
Pedro Boff is the great-grandson of Italian immigrants in southern Brazil, where he helped out on
his family farm. He graduated in agronomy (1983), followed by a Master’s degree in phytopathology, joining EPAGRI-Agriculture Research and Extension Rural Service of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, in 1988, where he works as a researcher linked to the Lab of Homeopathy and Plant
Health until today. After 4 years of direct contact with farmers, he realised that the industrial technologies were leaving farmers more dependent than ever on pesticides. So he returned to study, frst,
agroecology (1992), and then to gain a doctorate in biological control from Wageningen University
(1997–2001). Soon after, he realised that the widespread application of biological controls could
be as dangerous as chemicals and that farmers needed inputs that were easy to access and of low
cost. He came across biodynamic farming, and from there agricultural homeopathy, to which he
has been dedicated since 2005 to the present, chiefy through research and supervising MSc and
PhD theses students. Pedro collaborates in disciplines of integrative homeopathy at UDESC and
UNIPLAC universities in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. He coordinates courses of integrative and
popular homeopathy for farmers, technicians, researchers, students and the public in Brazil. His
commitment to homeopathy is to guarantee free access to farmers, without it being appropriated
exclusively by corporations and/or professional classes. Parallel with this, he also runs an organic
viticulture farm in his own area (https://www.epagri.sc.gov.br/).
Janus Bojesen Jensen
Already holding an MSc in Organic Farming, Janus’s current research topic is ‘An Exploration
of Subtle Agroecological Practices for the Decolonisation of Agriculture’, and he investigates the
potential of non-material, energetic practices to enhance organic and agroecological farming systems worldwide. Janus has previously conducted research in India with the Brahma Kumaris Rural
Development Wing and is keenly interested in exploring the links between spirituality, ecology and
Biography of Contributors
Alexander Álvarez Fonseca
Born on 21 November 1976, Alexander graduated as an agricultural engineer from Granma
University in 2010. Gaining a Master’s in Agricultural Sciences in 2016, he works at Jorge Dimitrov
Agricultural Research Institute, Bayamo, Granma, Cuba, carrying out investigations on the laser
and ionising radiation effects on seeds, with several scientifc articles published in refereed reviews.
He participates in the Local Agricultural Innovation Program, leading the participatory plant breeding studies in the eastern region of Cuba, which is involved with many research and technological
innovation projects.
Luis Enrique Arias Basulto
Luis Enrique Arias Basulto graduated as an agricultural engineer from the Higher Institute of
Agricultural Sciences of Bayamo (ISCAB) in 1984 (today Granma University). An auxiliary researcher
in 2002, he gained a Master’s in Agricultural Sciences in 2003. From 1985 to 2006, he was a researcher
at the Jorge Dimitrov Agricultural Research Institute, conducting research such as the establishment
of the institution’s fruit tree germplasm bank, setting up and conducting experiments in coffee cultivation related to the management of new plantations and established plantations, considering pruning,
shade regulation and planting density, as well as the study of different coffee genotypes resistant to
rust. He became Assistant Professor in 2007 at the University of Granma. He has undertaken more
than 40 postgraduate courses and is author and co-author of 17 scientifc publications. He has been the
tutor of several undergraduate theses and taught seven postgraduate courses.
Pedro Boff
Pedro Boff is the great-grandson of Italian immigrants in southern Brazil, where he helped out on
his family farm. He graduated in agronomy (1983), followed by a Master’s degree in phytopathology, joining EPAGRI-Agriculture Research and Extension Rural Service of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, in 1988, where he works as a researcher linked to the Lab of Homeopathy and Plant
Health until today. After 4 years of direct contact with farmers, he realised that the industrial technologies were leaving farmers more dependent than ever on pesticides. So he returned to study, frst,
agroecology (1992), and then to gain a doctorate in biological control from Wageningen University
(1997–2001). Soon after, he realised that the widespread application of biological controls could
be as dangerous as chemicals and that farmers needed inputs that were easy to access and of low
cost. He came across biodynamic farming, and from there agricultural homeopathy, to which he
has been dedicated since 2005 to the present, chiefy through research and supervising MSc and
PhD theses students. Pedro collaborates in disciplines of integrative homeopathy at UDESC and
UNIPLAC universities in Santa Catarina State, Brazil. He coordinates courses of integrative and
popular homeopathy for farmers, technicians, researchers, students and the public in Brazil. His
commitment to homeopathy is to guarantee free access to farmers, without it being appropriated
exclusively by corporations and/or professional classes. Parallel with this, he also runs an organic
viticulture farm in his own area (https://www.epagri.sc.gov.br/).
Janus Bojesen Jensen
Already holding an MSc in Organic Farming, Janus’s current research topic is ‘An Exploration
of Subtle Agroecological Practices for the Decolonisation of Agriculture’, and he investigates the
potential of non-material, energetic practices to enhance organic and agroecological farming systems worldwide. Janus has previously conducted research in India with the Brahma Kumaris Rural
Development Wing and is keenly interested in exploring the links between spirituality, ecology and