Born on a large farm in an Austrian village in 1920, Primavesi fell in love with nature, inspired by her father. She studied at the Faculty of Natural Resources and Life Sciences of the
University of Vienna, where she was one of only three women in her class. She went on to earn a doctorate in plant and soil nutrition. They had three children together. In 1949, they migrated to Brazil because Primavesi, like many other people, was threatened with
forced deportation by the
Russians in Austria, which had become a very unstable country in the years immediately following
World War II. After she retired from teaching, she and her husband moved to their own property in
Itaí, located in the Brazilian state of São Paulo. After her husband's death in 1977, Primavesi stayed there to put into practice her research about organic agriculture. She lived on the farm for more than 30 years and authored multiple publications about her research and agriculture work. Under Primavesi's management, her land – which was badly eroded when bought – was rejuvenated with springs, forests and agricultural areas. Her success there led to many speaking invitations and research projects around the world. Primavesi died in
São Paulo on 5 January 2020 at the age of 99 from heart problems. She is buried in the city's Congonhas Cemetery. == Distinctions ==