Horta agroecológica como caminho para encontros

Abstract

Ever since remote times, when our ancestors climbed down out of the trees to explore the African plains, to modern humankind, the search for food has been ingrained in our "genetic markers". During the Neolithic Age, hunter-gatherers gave way to the first agricultural peoples, who began selecting better seeds for farming and adopting the first livestock practices. Farmers thus transcended the experience of nomadism, assuming the sedentary life resulting from the need to cultivate new sources of nutrients.Today, at the height of the 21st century, we are witnessing one of humankind's most deeply rooted paradoxes: diseases and socio-environmental imbalances alongside the pursuit of food production. Agriculture has undergone many changes in this long history, with a major turning point after World War II, namely the Green Revolution. This meant a new project for global agriculture, imposing structural changes like intensive mechanization, the expansion of monocultures, land tenure concentration, and the use of incalculable amounts of pesticides and chemical fertilizers.Humankind has gone from subsistence agriculture to the other extreme: a market-oriented model where capital dictates the rules of the game. The Green Revolution went beyond, offering as part of its legacy the cultural and social usurpation of traditional peoples through standardization of practices and leveling of small farmers' ancestral knowledge. The latter groups are now largely dependent on pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and industrial seeds. This mechanized, poisonous agricultural model also promotes rural exodus and greater alienation between the countryside and cities.In cities, technology has set an explosive pace for daily life, further disconnecting us from the sources of food we consume. Eating is becoming plasticized, fast-food, and individualistic. We no longer pay attention to what we eat, but consume speed and practicality.Fortunately, history has demonstrated our capacity to turn unfavorable scenarios around. One path in this reversal is agroecology. One of its pillars is to promote farming practices that are respectful of all beings, as well as a close relationship between the countryside and cities, in the search for dialogue between farmers and consumers, to supply healthy foods, free from chemical inputs, while promoting harmonious encounters.Successful agroecological experiences are happening all across Brazil. At the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), on the Ilha do Fundão campus, various collectives work with agroecology as their main thrust. One important case is the UFRJ Agroecological Fair, drawing farmers from the municipality of Rio de Janeiro and farther afield, bringing producers and consumers together. Another example is the MUDA Extension Project, an agroecology collective coordinated by the UFRJ Polytechnic School, of which the Institute for Studies in Collective Health (IESC/UFRJ) is a member. The MUDA Extension Project provides training for creating and managing community vegetable gardens in the city, ...

The experience of community urban gardens: Social organization and food security

“…Considering agroecological principles and practices found in community gardens, it is worth noting that successful experiences have been reported worldwide, with the Agroecological Fairs, Agroecology Joint efforts, Sustainability Projects, green manuring, among others [2,[18][19][20][21].…”

Percepção de agricultura sustentável no município de Maringá, Paraná, Brasil

“…A agroecologia, na qual a produção orgânica está inserida, integra os princípios agronômicos, ecológicos, culturais e socioeconômicos (ALTIERI, 2004), incentiva as práticas de cultivo favoráveis ao meio ambiente e a necessidade de diálogo entre produtores e consumidores, com o propósito de oferecer alimentos aos humanos e ao ambiente (BRITO; MELLO, 2016). Jacob (2016) afirma que a agroecologia busca simplificar os processos agrícolas e é uma resposta às consequências da crise ecológica.…”