AGRICULTURA URBANA NA REGIÃO CENTRAL DE PALMAS, TOCANTINS: CONVENCIONAL OU AGROECOLÓGICA? Urban agriculture in the central region of Palmas, Tocantins: conventional or agroecological?

Urban Farm DB summary

This study examined whether urban community gardens in the central region of Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil, fit a conventional or agroecological production model, surveying four gardens (in blocks 1006, 1106, 1206 and 1306 Sul) through questionnaires with 42 gardeners and interviews with two staff from the Urban Gardens program. Findings showed a mismatch between the number of registered gardeners and those actually working the plots; gardeners were mostly low-income, low-education women; use of products incompatible with agroecological production was documented, though a transition process was underway with gardeners adopting agroecology-based management techniques; and oversight and technical assistance existed but at levels insufficient to ensure adequate guidance for gardeners and product quality for consumers.