Agricultura urbana conquistando o mercado institucional da alimentação escolar em Belo Horizonte/MG/BR: a experiência do jardim produtivo no período de 2010-2015

Abstract

The project “Productive Garden” began in 2008 as part of the “Cities Farming for the Future programme” which had environmental and health objectives with promotion of urban agriculture and food and nutrition security. Between 2009 and 2011, the project was part of the program “From Seed to Table”, which aimed to stimulate the commercialization of the production of urban farmers linked to Productive Garden. Based on the action research methodology, the project stimulated the technical and organizational capacity of farmers, creating conditions for the marketing of vegetable for institutional market of school feeding. As a result, public schools began to purchase vegetables produced in the Productive Garden supply in school meals, an experience that remains active. This experience has been certified as a social technology for Brazil’s Bank Foundation in 2011. This marketing experience between schools and the Productive Garden showed that: urban agriculture is economically viable, ensuring foods that contribute to the promotion of food and nutrition security in the city. It is experience that can be transferred to other municipalities.