Social Technologies and Food Security:
the Urban Agriculture approach
Moreira, J. (1); Pinto, J. (1) ; Pereira, J.C.D. (2); Malta, M. (2)
(1) ACTUAR – Associação para a Cooperação e o Desenvolvimento; (2) Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra
INTRODUCTION
In order to face hunger problems and to promote food security it is necessary to find solutions that allow vulnerable populations, namely in Developing
world, to create development circles which can lead them to social emancipation.
Social Technologies (ST) can be defined as “a set of techniques, transforming methodologies, developed and/or applied in interaction with populations
and adopted by them, which represent solutions for social inclusion and improvement of livelihoods” (ITS, 2004).
THE PRINCIPLES...
Simplicity
Low Cost
Local Resources
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PROCESSES
Simple
Implementation
GENERATION OF INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT
Available Work
IMPROVEMENT IN THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF LOCAL
COMMUNITIES
URBAN AGRICULTURE
Agriculture can be used as a strategy to reduce the harmful
consequences of the urbanisation process. Urban farmers can feed
themselves and make food available to others, promoting food security
in cities. This activity can help to cope with situations of food crisis and
contribute to the household economy, particularly if development
strategies based on the local knowledge and resources are promoted.
This is clearly the case of social technologies.
In general, ST are the result of popular knowledge and wisdom,
although they may also arise from interactions between popular and
scientific knowledge. ST involve the following different spheres:
Health
Food
Income
Generation
Social
Technologies
Education
Housing
...
Vegetables production in Urban social gardens in Coimbra, Portugal
THE STAKEHOLDERS
ESAC is a Portuguese polytechnical agrarian school that developes scientific and theaching activities in domains
like: agriculture, animal breeding, food processing and environment. Along the past few years ESAC has
increased its activity towards the promotion of food security in Developing world, namely in the Portuguese Offcial
Language Speaking countries. At the same time has been promoting and coordinating urban agriculture projects.
ACTUAR is a portuguese NGO that develops initiatives related to sustainable urban agriculture, always using a
global and integrated approach, committed to social justice and environmental responsibility. Based on the same
principles, nowadays is also developing activities towards the promotion of Social Technologies in Developing
countries.
IFSN is a global network constituted by many NGO worlwide and is engaged in contributing to an increase in the
use of ST among urban farmers and their organisations in order to promote food security.
References
ITS (2004), Reflexões sobre a construção do conceito de Tecnologia Social. In: Tecnologia Social: uma estratégia de
desenvolvimento. Rio de Janeiro: Fundação Banco do Brasil.
Centro de Estudos de Recursos Naturais, Ambiente e Sociedade
desenvolver a ciência e a tecnologia dos recursos naturais, da alimentação, do ambiente e da sociedade
Campus da Escola Superior Agrária de Coimbra, Bencanta, 3040-316 Coimbra, Portugal;Tel: 239802946; Fax: 239802289; e-mail: [email protected]; http://www.esac.pt/cernas
CERNAS
–
Unidade
de
Investigação
financiada
pelo
FEDER – Programa Operacional
Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação
(POCTI), Eixo Prioritário II, Medida
II.1 . Desenvolver uma Rede
Moderna de Instituições de I&D.