Recursos alimentares vegetais em duas comunidades caiçaras no Sudeste do Brasil: discutindo modos de vida e segurança alimentar

Abstract

Changes in livelihoods have been observed between the caiçaras, at the southeastern coast of Brazil, reflecting on the use of edible plants collected and cultivated in Atlantic Forest fragments. Small-scale agriculture and plant extraction have divided space with process of urbanization, tourism and nature conservation, configuring different realities respecting food and nutritional security of these populations. The aim of this research was to explore the relation between livelihoods and food security in two caiçara communities of Paraty, RJ, in an ethnobotany perspective. The methods used for data collection included free listing, recall 24 hours and food store analysis, been visited 21 families at Ponta Negra and 43 at Ilha do Araújo. The subsistence activities that generate food and financial resources were identified; the richness of edible plants collected and cultivated locally and the places in which they are obtained were registered; the proportion of local vegetable resources in the families´ diet was evaluated; and contrasts about the food consumption between summer and winter were verified. Activities that generate food contribute to food security especially at Ponta Negra,community with a higher degree of geographical isolation and less family income when compared with Ilha do Araújo. The total richness was of 134 edible plants, mainly found in home gardens, with emphasis to fruits and spices. The contribution of edible plants on caiçaras´diet at PN was 8,6% of food items citations and at IA was 6,3%. No significant differences about diet composition between seasons were found in this research, indicating that there are no critical periods for food insecurity. The results of this study reinforce the importance of food acquisition on the environment, contributing to food security.