Comercialização de produtos da agricultura familiar em ambientes urbanos: estudo de caso com feirantes da feira cultural da reforma agrária em Fortaleza–CE

Abstract

Family farming plays a fundamental role in food supply and the promotion of sustainable development, articulating economic, social, and cultural dimensions. In Brazil, family farming and agroecological fairs constitute strategic spaces for short marketing circuits, income generation, and strengthening of the solidarity economy. This study aimed to analyze the profile, marketing practices, perceptions, and challenges faced by family farming vendors at the Agrarian Reform Cultural Fair of the Frei Humberto Training Center in Fortaleza (CE). The research was characterized as a mixed-methods case study, predominantly qualitative, descriptive in nature, with descriptive statistics supporting the organization of quantitative data. Semi-structured questionnaires were applied to eight vendors, addressing socioeconomic, productive, and perceptual aspects. The results revealed a predominance of farmers in the Working Age Population (WAP) and diversified activity in the marketing of fresh foods and processed family-based products. The fair proved to be a relevant space for generating supplementary income, strengthening productive autonomy, and valuing family labor, although logistical, structural, and institutional challenges persist, limiting the expansion of activities. The perceptions of vendors and consumers indicated a high degree of trust in the origin of the products and recognition of the fair as a territory for learning, resistance, and the construction of food citizenship. It is concluded that the Cultural Fair of the Agrarian Reform at the Frei Humberto Training Center constitutes an important channel for strengthening family farming and urban agroecology, establishing itself as a space for integration between the countryside and the city and for the promotion of sustainable and solidarity-based practices.