On September 26, Instituto Inhotim will celebrate the completion of another edition of Lab Jardim, a five-month horticulture training programme connecting professional development, social inclusion and biodiversity conservation in Brumadinho, Brazil.

Developed within Inhotim’s botanical gardens, the programme combines 360 hours of theoretical and practical training in horticulture, sustainability and environmental conservation. Ten scholarship recipients began the 2026 edition and seven are completing the programme. The three participants who left did so after receiving professional opportunities during the course.

Participants receive financial grants to broaden access and support retention. Learning is monitored through a competency and skills matrix, socioeconomic indicators and module evaluations. The programme brings together participants from urban and rural areas and diverse educational backgrounds. This year’s cohort also includes a deaf participant supported by a sign language interpreter.

From the botanical garden to the community

Learning extends beyond Inhotim. Participants apply their knowledge through practical experiences across the territory. In June, the group joined a reforestation initiative in Brumadinho, planting more than 100 native tree seedlings, and participated in a technical visit to the Fundação Zoobotânica de Belo Horizonte. An open class on aquatic plant cultivation also brought together 36 participants.

For Danúbia Vitória Rodrigues Paranhos, the experience has transformed her relationship with plants: “I am discovering new things about plants every day. I feel that this knowledge will be very useful in the future, as I will be able to put it into practice and take care of my own garden.”

The programme culminates in a collective intervention at Batucabrum, a cultural project in Casa Branca, Brumadinho, where participants are creating a new garden and sharing the knowledge developed throughout the programme with the local community.

From training to professional opportunities

The programme’s impact extends beyond graduation. From the previous edition, one participant was subsequently hired by Inhotim, while at least three others went on to work with environmental initiatives in Brumadinho.

Participant Camila Regina Lima de Matos also sees new professional possibilities emerging from the experience: “I joined Lab Jardim looking for direction and knowledge. As the course progressed, I found much more than learning: I found a path towards professional development and personal recognition.”

From local practice to shared learning

By combining horticultural education, financial support, accessibility, competency-based learning and community application, Lab Jardim explores a model that could be adapted by other botanical gardens seeking to connect conservation with local capacity development.