Alimentos nativos e tradicionais: explorando benefícios e desafios de sua produção/consumo em comunidade agroextrativista do município de Santarém-PA

Abstract

The research emphasizes sustainable development, biodiversity and food and nutrition security from the production and consumption of food by an agro-extractive population in the Amazon. It had as a guideline the food of communities belonging to the Agroextractive Settlement Project PAE-Lago Grande, Santarém-PA. The objective was to identify and discuss the uses of native and traditional foods and the benefits and difficulties in maintaining the practices of production and consumption of these products and their relationship with sustainability with regard to the environment, cultural, health and economic issues. . The research had a qualitative approach through a case study, divided into three stages: (1) exploratory phase; (2) fieldwork and (3) analysis of empirical material. The case study was carried out with farmers, extractivists and artisanal fishermen from nine communities (Vila Curuai, Terra Preta dos Nogueira, Centro dos Nogueira, Andirobal, Bom Futuro A, Bom Futuro B, Cabeceira do Ouro, Paissandu and Rabo da Serra). Seventeen people were interviewed, nine male and eight female, most were over 50 years of age, the most performed activities are agriculture and extractivism, and income comes mainly from agriculture, with the cultivation of cassava. destined for the production of flour and its by-products. They also cultivate and/or collect a variety of fruits, vegetables, tubers, roots, seeds and grains, in addition to raising small animals such as pigs, free-range chicken and ducks. Regarding the processing methods of some foods, changes were identified over the years, such as the instruments used, however, most maintain traditional techniques. Among the benefits, the nutritional ones stand out, given the diversity of nutrients present in these foods, the sociocultural ones, as they strengthen the interrelationships between consumers and farmers/extractivists, maintaining the social ties of the community and the economic ones, as it favors short circuits of marketing and contributes to family income. In relation to the challenges of cultivation/production/extraction of these products, the interviewees brought up environmental concerns related to water scarcity in the summer period, attacks by wild animals and insect pests such as locusts, caterpillars and anteaters. They also reported economic challenges given by the seasonality of products and by the fluctuation of prices. Regarding the consumption/marketing of native or traditional foods, the nutritional issue was highlighted, given that these foods compete with industrialized foods on the consumers' table. In this way, the study revealed that this agro-extractive population produces and consumes a variety of foods with important nutritional contents, with low impact on the environment, the maintenance of traditional production techniques remains today, but with difficulties related to environmental and economic issues.