Contributions of the old urban homegardens for food production and consumption in Rio Claro, Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Urban homegardens are green areas of households within the city limits and they have the potential to provide families with a cheap alternative for diet improvement, and to complement the income of the families who sell cultivated products. This research analyzes the contributions of old urban homegardens on food consumption and household economy. Data related to homegardens composition were collected by interviews and by collecting cultivated plants.Diets were assessed through a retrospective method (last 24 hours food recall) and administered every two months, during a year, to include seasonal variations. The diet of the sampled population was found to be dependent on certain foods, indicating a narrow food niche (Levins index = 25.9; Levins standardized index = 0.23). Variations in interviewees' diet are related to the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are partly supplied by homegardens. Spices and teas consumed were obtained from homegardens, revealing its importance in food consumption and health. Among the 98 species found in homegardens, only 38% appeared in the interviewees' diet, indicating an under-exploitation of these homegardens. Our study found that the main role of homegardens is to supply variation in the diet, contributing to the consumption of different types of products.Keywords: Diet. Ethnobotany. Food niche. Urban agriculture.Resumo: Os quintais urbanos correspondem às áreas verdes domiciliares dentro dos limites urbanos e têm o potencial de fornecer às famílias uma alternativa barata para a melhoria da dieta e complementação da renda familiar, pela venda de itens produzidos nesse espaço. Este estudo analisa a contribuição dos quintais urbanos antigos na alimentação e na economia doméstica. Os dados sobre a composição dos quintais foram obtidos por meio de entrevistas e pela coleta de plantas presentes nos quintais. As dietas foram levantadas pelo método recordatório das últimas 24 horas, aplicado bimensalmente, durante um ano, para incluir variações sazonais. Verificou-se que a dieta da população amostrada é dependente de alguns alimentos, indicando um nicho alimentar estreito (índice de Levins = 25,9; Levins padronizado = 0,23). As variações nas dietas dos informantes estão relacionadas com o consumo de frutas e hortaliças, em parte fornecidas pelo quintal. Temperos e chás consumidos foram obtidos dos quintais, revelando sua importância para alimentação e saúde. Das 98 espécies alimentares encontradas nos quintais, apenas 38% apareceram na dieta dos entrevistados, indicando uma subexploração dos quintais. Em nosso estudo, a principal função relatada para os quintais foi proporcionar variações da dieta, contribuindo para o consumo de itens diversificados.Palavras-chaves: Dieta. Etnobotânica. Nicho alimentar. Agricultura urbana.

Local food: benefits and failings due to modern agriculture

“…These urban green spaces, including backyard gardens, have the potential to provide families with a more affordable alternative for improving their diet and for supplementing their income from the sales of surplus food grown. Eichemberg and Amorozo (2013) evaluated the consumption of fruits and vegetables, which are partly supplied by homegardens in Rio Claro, SP, southeastern Brazil. The authors found that spices and teas consumed by the families interviewed were obtained from homegardens, revealing its importance in food consumption and health promotion.…”

Urban ethnobotany: a case study in neighborhoods of different ages in Chapecó, Santa Catarina State

“…The age of people is a significant factor in popular knowledge about plants because older people usually have more accumulated experience and greater knowledge of the plant uses, especially regarding the medicinal ones (Eichemberg et al 2009;Messias et al 2015), as well as an increased concern about food safety so that they see the home gardens as an alternative source of nutrition (Eichemberg & Amorozo 2013). In the present study, there was no difference between the neighborhoods regarding the number of species cultivated with alimentary and medicinal purposes although 60 % of the interviewees in the Center neighborhood were over 60 years old whereas in the Palmital neighborhood only 40 % of the interviewees were over 60 years old.…”

“…Eichemberg et al (2009) recorded a great number of species cultivated with ornamental, alimentary or medicinal purposes in old urban home gardens in the municipality of Rio Claro (São Paulo state, Brazil). Another study carried out in the same municipality pointed out the important role that old urban home gardens play in supplying variation in the diet of habitants, allowing consumption of different types of products (Eichemberg & Amorozo 2013). Urban gardens may have a great role in improving food security, especially in undeveloped regions (WinklerPrins 2006).…”

Pode a agricultura urbana contribuir para o desenvolvimento de cidades e comunidades sustentáveis?

“…Aliadas as políticas públicas as hortas urbanas possuem uma importância ímpar na efetivação do direito humano a alimentação, proporcionando alimentos saudáveis, de qualidade e acessível à comunidade (Siqueira et al, 2019). (Eichemberg & Amorozo, 2013). Já em Rio Branco, 77 espécies alimentares distribuídas entre 34 famílias botânicas (Siviero et al, 2011) e 83 espécies de uso medicinal (Siviero et al, 2012).…”