Backyards horticulture for food security and nutrition from the families settled in Terenos (MS), Brazil

Abstract

This research had purpose to investigate the cultivation and consumption of horticultural species and its importance in food security and nutrition from the families of Jacob Fransiosi Community of Emerson Rodrigues settlement in the town of Terenos/Mato Grosso do Sul state. The exploratory research was quantitative and qualitative, using the action research methodology, observation and interviews. The settlement consists of three communities, totalyzing 136 families. It was established in 2005 and it is far about 40 km from the state capital. The resarch was done with 14 families, embrasing 35% of the families from the Community. It was noticed an average of 3.8 people per household and that was not different from rural national average, but it was higher than the rural Midwest average. The standard to establish the food security and nutrition allowed to evaluate 50% the families that could be considerate in food security, while 50% fitted in food insecurity, of which 35,8% in severe food insecurity, 7.1% moderate and 7.1% in light food insecurity. There was significant consumption of vegetables between the families that had access to horticultural, with possibility to increase it through the consumption of fruits and vegetables produced in their yards. It was concluded the need to propose public policies that encourage and subsidize the production for self-consumption of families settled, expecting to minimize the problems related to food insecurity of these subjects.