Agricultura urbana e agroecologia: investigação no setor sudeste de Fortaleza (CE)

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between urban agriculture and agroecology in the city of Fortaleza, CE, focusing on the southeast portion where a significant amount of land is dedicated to agricultural practices. The goal was to understand how this interconnection manifests in the specified spatial context and to identify the socioenvironmental potential of urban agroecological production for the city. The adopted approach was qualitative-quantitative, involving the collection and analysis of quantitative data from primary and secondary sources, followed by a qualitative reflection on the studied phenomenon. The work began with a literature and documentary review to guide the research, exploring relevant themes, methodologies, and data. This allowed for a deeper understanding of the subject through the theoretical discussion of various authors and its local contextualization. Field research was conducted with producers in the southeast portion of Fortaleza to answer the question of the existence of agroecological production in the study area and to classify producers based on their agroenvironmental practices. The results revealed that the southeast sector of Fortaleza has many productive spaces, but their quantity has decreased due to recent socio-spatial urban dynamics. Additionally, despite many productions adopting unfavorable and unhealthy agricultural practices, some demonstrated more sustainable practices, indicating possibilities for agroecological production in the city. This could not only contribute to food security but also promote environmental preservation, biodiversity, and improvements in the population's living conditions. Therefore, it is concluded that there is a crucial political role in advancing in this direction, increasingly encouraging the adoption of agroecological principles to address various socio-environmental issues that the city currently faces.