The ARCA is led by professors Ivo dos Santos Canabarro and Jussara Mantelli. It was created at FURG in 2008 by professionals from public and private institutions with a special interest in Latin American agrarian studies. Contact with other countries is made through the Centro de Estudos Alexander Von Humboldt, located in Buenos Aires, where the group’s members make valuable contributions. Its relationships with schools and universities is realized through the Geographic Master's Degree Program (Programa de Mestrado em Geografia) at FURG, in collegiate work developing curriculum components and in its direction of academic research at the graduate and postgraduate levels.

The group’s two research lines enable it to discuss geographic and other agrarian themes studied by undergraduate and graduate students. Its research on Territorial Analysis and Sustainability (Análises Territoriais e Sustentabilidade) is related to the study and understanding of production capacity in various physical-natural, socio-economic, environmental and structural contexts.  This researchincludes territorial and landscape analysis. In addition, this research seeks to understand the nature, dynamics andimpact of urban development on rural production and the incorporation of alternative methods and resources for sustainable production.

Its Society and Culture research is dedicated to the study of socio-cultural manifestations in the field. It considers topics such as social movements, ethnic questions, culture and development, transformations in the world of labor, new technological demands, social policy and poverty and social exclusion. Research conducted by the group in general has resulted in monographs, scientific initiatives, dissertations and projects developed by researchers from several universities.

One of its notable initiatives is the Latin American Geography: Production processes and social impact (América Latina como Geografía: procesos productivos y impacto social) project, which includes researchers from FURG in Brazil and from Latin America, especially Argentina, Chile and Mexico.

The group’s outreach activities are performed in schools through workshops about agro-ecological practices. It also considers important its involvement in national and international scientific events, where it presents the results of its research.