Eleventh International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

Food is a topic that involves numerous issues in several dimensions: environmental, social, cultural, spatial, political, economical, among others. Regarding hunger, one of the main problems of the current food system, it is already known that it is not the result of food scarcity, but rather of the series of inefficient processes throughout the food system. Therefore discussing the strategies for guaranteeing food sovereignty is much more related to the inevitability of decentralizing food production than to the need to produce more. In big cities, food production is very complex, but achieving the sustainability of this activity is a fundamental strategy to reduce urban poverty and food insecurity. In this context, the present work evaluates the possibility of implementing actions that promote food sustainability in the Maciço da Pedra Branca, located in the west region of the city of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), an area with a long agricultural history. By defining the concept of food sustainability, it is possible to diagnose land conflicts and socioeconomic inequalities as the main obstacles to the continuity of local agriculture, while the resistance of local social movements are identified as factors that favor their permanence. In conclusion, it follows that family farming in the region presents sustainable actions, which promote local development and food sovereignty.