Indigenous protagonism in the context of food insecurity in times of Covid-19

Abstract

In Brazil, indigenous peoples present a complex reality characterized by a marked social vulnerability that is manifested in health and nutritional indicators. In this scenario, poor sanitary conditions prevail, with a high burden of chronic noncommunicable diseases; infectious/parasitic diseases; and nutritional disorders, including malnutrition and anemia. This situation is reflected in numerous aspects of food insecurity, placing this population in a position of particular vulnerability to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and its effects. The objective of our study was to present a set of preliminary reflections on food insecurity and indigenous protagonism in times of Covid-19. The pandemic has deepened the inequalities that affect the indigenous peoples, with a direct impact on food security conditions. Amid the effects of the pandemic, indigenous protagonism has played a fundamental role in guaranteeing these peoples’ rights and access to food, denouncing the absent and slow official responses as acts of institutional violence, which will have serious and lasting effects on the lives of indigenous peoples.

Indigenous peoples and the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic scoping review

“…Indigenous peoples are three times more likely to live in extreme poverty compared to non-Indigenous people (ILO 2020 ). Poverty was most often (57%) identified as increasing the incidence and poor outcomes of COVID-19, across the Americas, Africa, India and Asia, and was associated with food insecurity and malnutrition (FAO 2021 , Hoover 2020 , Leite et al 2020 , Rodriguez-Lonebear et al 2020 , Teixeira 2020 ). One of the most important ways in which poverty increases vulnerability to COVID-19 is that it requires people to go out to work increasing their risk of exposure.…”

Aumento de las vulnerabilidades en la pandemia del covid-19 desde la perspectiva de la bioética

“…Según Rogers y Ballantyne 8 , la impotencia representa la vulnerabilidad extrínseca causada por la pobreza y la negación de derechos sociales, económicos y políticos a determinados grupos. Esta categoría está compuesta por los artículos 1, 3 y 5, que denuncian la negación de derechos a grupos vulnerables en Brasil 14,16,18 , y por los artículos 2 y 7, que reflejan la desigualdad socioeconómica que marca al pueblo brasileño 15,20 .…”

“…El artículo 3 señala el retroceso de las políticas públicas de salud dirigidas a los pueblos indígenas y la pérdida de derechos sociales, que vienen afectando el derecho a la alimentación adecuada asegurado en la Constitución Federal 16 . En Brasil, la pandemia tuvo un impacto directo en la seguridad alimentaria, obligando a los pueblos indígenas a denunciar activamente la ineptitud del gobierno federal, caracterizada por la negación de derechos a estos pueblos.…”

Consequências e agravantes de saúde evidenciados pela COVID-19 em populações indígenas brasileiras: uma revisão integrativa

“…A insegurança alimentar em aldeias também é um agravante ao quadro geral de comunidades vulneráveis, uma vez que isso pode ocasionar ou complicar doenças crônicas consideradas propícias à manifestação da COVID-19. O processo de isolamento social em aldeiasainda que necessárioreduziu a mobilidade entre pequenas comunidades e as grandes metrópoles, o que afetou o abastecimento de determinados alimentos, acarretando em efeitos negativos na produção, aquisição e consumo de alimentos (Leite et al, 2020). Esta instabilidade só reforça a importância de se fortalecer a autonomia alimentar em aldeias, incentivando a agroecologia a fim de fortalecer bases locais e regionais de abastecimento, para assim minimizar a dependência exclusiva de ações solidárias que envolvam a doação de cestas básicas (Mondardo, 2020).…”