URBAN GARDENS: CONSERVATION AND ENHANCEMENT OF AGROBIODIVERSITY IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF VARGEM GRANDE, MA

Abstract

The demand for unprocessed food makes urban spaces a required place for the cultivation and conservation of horticultural plant genetic resources that largely guarantee the valorization of agrobiodiversity, and are associated with a healthier diet. In this perspective, the objective of this study was to survey information on the profile of producers and to characterize the cultivation of vegetables in the backyards of the municipality of Vargem Grande, MA. The methodology used was the application of 40 questionnaires, the approach of the interviewees was made individually and randomly, the questionnaire was structured with objective questions focusing on the socioeconomic aspects of the producers, origin of the seeds, cultivated species, type of substrate, fertilization mode, phytosanitary aspects (weeds, pests and diseases) and harvest. The socioeconomic profile of vegetable producers in the urban perimeter of Vargem Grande, MA is formed mainly by women; aged 30 to 50 years; Married; with a family of more than four people; with an income of more than one, up to two salaries; with complete high school education and as the source of income work without fixed salaries. The most cultivated species are vinegar, chives, coriander, whose seeds are obtained in agricultural stores and planted directly in the soil, using cattle manure. Crops suffer interference from weeds, and harvesting is carried out in the morning and late afternoon, with the main objective of vegetable cultivation being family consumption.