Food security and urban gardens, the case of São Paulo/Brazil

Abstract

With Covid-19 pandemic, food insecurity in Brazil has become urgent. Since 2020, there has been an increase in unemployment and the closing of schools and day care centers, demanding joint action from society, university, government and companies. Urban and agroecological gardens were highlighted in community actions in the periphery of São Paulo, which has 106 vegetable gardens mapped by the Sampa+Rural program. These gardens are run by solidarity enterprises, which have promoted the delivery of food baskets to vulnerable families. The objective was to enhance the quality of production and ensure healthy food for about 80 families, served by 8 gardens, which contributed to generating income and thus maintaining their dynamics. The methodology consisted of a training cycle from August/21 to April/22, with 5 meetings in each of the 8 participating gardens, covering the planning stages of planting, production, harvest and distribution/marketing. In total, more than 1000 seedlings were planted, ranging from conventional ones (lettuce, arugula, kale, parsley and chives) to seedlings of unconventional food plants, which show a high nutritional level, such as taioba and peixinho. Participants report community gardens as spaces that promote mental health, meeting and reflection, serving as an educational tool in the promotion of significant and permanent social changes, either through the form of production, through the collaborative management process and the fight against local food insecurity. Collective work is one of the ways to overcome food insecurity. It is necessary to take care of volunteers, increase engagement and improve their well-being. Between August and November/22 the focus will be to improve the ergonomic conditions of work in the gardens, to promote well-being and physical safety of those who work there. It is expected to reduce the turnover of participants and improve their comfort, thus contributing to the sustainability of these production systems.