Alimentos orgânicos na percepção de diferentes atores sociais do Município de Frederico Westphalen-RS

Abstract

This study seeks to analyze and interpret the perception of several social actors regarding organic foods as strategic for the social reproduction of family farmers and for food and nutritional security in the municipality of Frederico Westphalen, located in the North of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. These social actors are families of family farmers, technical assistance and rural extension, public managers and professionals in the area of education, nutrition and health. This work began in March of the year 2017 and is authorized by the opinion of the Research Ethics Committee (COMEP) of UFRRJ, within the Research Project entitled "Food security: the intersectoriality in Brazil" (Protocol No. 797/2016). Based on the multidimensions of sustainability, from Agroecology, it was possible to raise the considerations and suggestions of each social actor researched. Within the Economic, Social, Environmental, Cultural, Political and Ethical dimensions, aspects considered relevant were contemplated, among them: generation of work and income, production costs, public health spending, contamination with chemical residues, technological dependence, health of the producer and consumer, labor "pain", nutritional quality of food, local development, associativism and cooperativism, responsibility and solidarity. In each aspect, the positive and negative impacts of the production and consumption of organic and conventional foods were evaluated. Also, suggestions were obtained and the level of knowledge and involvement of the social actors with the existing public policies to support family and organic agriculture and food acquisition was evaluated, as well as what could be done to increase the production and consumption of these foods. It was possible to visualize that the perceptions and suggestions contemplate what actions are being done and can be amplified. It was unanimous, by the social actors surveyed, the respect and importance of organic foods for food and nutritional security. Also, that organic food and the sustainability of agriculture fit better in the profile of family farmers, providing their social reproduction.