Sixteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is an organization that aims to provide affordable access to agricultural products by stimulating family farming and the production of organic and biodynamic food. Considering the close relationship between organic foods and health, functional nutrition stimulates the consumption of organic and biodynamic foods as they are free of pesticides and chemical fertilizers and rich in bioactive compounds and nutrients, ensuring food and nutritional security. To investigate the perception of the functional nutritionist about the presence of CSA in Brazil. A total of 20 nutritionists linked to different CSA units located in four Brazilian states (Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Santa Catarina and Bahia) were interviewed with a questionnaire consisting of ten questions about the professional’s perceptions about the advancements and challenges of CSA promotion in their cities. The interviews were conducted via telephone. The information collected was tabulated for better data analysis. In general, all professionals interviewed reported that CSA is an important work tool, since it is the way for consumers to reach organic and biodynamic food in an affordable way and fair to those who grow it. Access to local foods and respect for biodiversity were also other important factors cited. On the other hand, the difficulty in relationships and dialogues for maintaining collaborative management represents the main challenge reported by nutritionists, which hinders access for part of the population. The CSAs represent an important working tool for the functional nutritionist, as they facilitate access to organic and biodynamic food.