VALORACIÓN DE LA CIDRA PAPA (Sechium edule) COMO ALTERNATIVA DE ALIMENTACIÓN Y RECUPERACIÓN DE VÍNCULOS CON EL CAMPO VALORAÇÃO DA Sechium edule COMO ALTERNATIVA DE ALIMENTAÇÃO E RECUPERAÇÃO DOS VINCULOS COM O CAMPO VALUATION OF Sechium edule AS AN ALIMENTARY ALTERNATIVE AND RECUPERATION OF BONDS TO THE COUNTRY

Urban Farm DB summary

This participatory study evaluated Sechium edule (chayote, locally "cidra papa") as an alternative food source for displaced families living in marginal urban settlements of Popayan, Colombia, aiming to recover traditional knowledge of its use and management, identify ecotypes, capture its sociocultural significance as a means of maintaining ties to the countryside, and assess its productivity and management potential in marginal urban spaces. Using participatory methods including recreational activities, awareness workshops, and knowledge- and seed-exchange tours, the study covered three communes in Popayan, applied 116 surveys across four selected settlements, and conducted monthly visits with informal dialogue with participating families. It confirmed that plants such as chayote adapt to conditions in the settlements and can serve as an alternative food source for these populations, and the activities encouraged consumption of underutilized species, knowledge exchange, and conservation of ecotypes and plant species able to withstand marginal conditions.