Abstract

Cooking encompasses cultural, environmental, social, economic, and political dimensions, as well as composes the activities contained in a food system and promoting dialogues and transformations. This study aims to describe and to analyze everyday elements related to cooking and its relationship with the food system based on the experience of a group of female urban farmers in the east side of the city of São Paulo. Body-map storytelling was used, a creative visual research method, in which, by drawing the participant’s body contours, visual and oral data were produced on the meanings of cooking. Seven women participated in this study, who develop actions related to agriculture and cooking. The generated data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Cooking proved to be a connector from the field to the table, strengthening and being strengthened by the practices of urban and peri-urban farming, and is an interesting tool to promote health, contemplating biopsychosocial well-being in line with issues of social, economic, and environmental sustainability. Understanding this connection enables to support public policies to promote sustainable food systems and facing the challenges of the Anthropocene.

Keywords:
Sustainability; Food Systems; Cooking; Environment; Public Health

Introduction

Assuming that humanity is experiencing the Anthropocene epoch, in which humanity’s actions globally affect the Earth, resulting in changes and degradations of natural resources. The great population growth, associated with industrialization and technological advancement, exerts significant global pressures on the environment, including extreme weather events and changes in land use and the integrity of the biosphere, which are associated with the loss of biodiversity (Artaxo, 2014ARTAXO, P. Uma nova era geológica em nosso planeta: o Antropoceno?. Revista USP, São Paulo, n. 103, p. 13-24, 2014. DOI: 10.11606/issn.2316-9036.v0i103p13-24
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9036.... ). The Anthropocene context is impacted by and impacts the Food Systems and, consequently, the elements that compose it (environment, people, infrastructure) and the activities related to them, such as the means of production, distribution and consumption of food.

Food is aliment transformed not only by physical changes, but also by social and cultural representations (Lima; Robinson; Farias, 2015LIMA, R. S.; FERREIRA NETO, J. A.; FARIAS, R.C.P. Alimentação, comida e cultura: o exercício da comensalidade. Demetra: Alimentação, Nutrição & Saúde, Rio de Janeiro, v. 10, n. 3, p. 507-522, 2015. DOI: 10.12957/demetra.2015.16072
https://doi.org/10.12957/demetra.2015.16... ). For the French anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss (2004LÉVI-STRAUSS, C. O cru e o cozido. São Paulo: Cosac & Naify, 2004.), being able to cook food and modify it from raw to cooked was part of the process of the human’s transition from the biological to the social condition. The author establishes, in his study, the difference between aliment and food: the first satisfies humans, supplying their physiological needs, while the second is the transformed aliment, which can carry several meanings.

This difference is also established by the Brazilian anthropologist Roberto Damatta (1987DAMATTA, R. Sobre o simbolismo da comida no Brasil. O correio da Unesco, Rio de Janeiro, v. 15, n. 7, 1987.), who studied Brazilian food and created the idea that not all aliment is food, since aliment is what nourishes and keeps people alive, while food is a form of expression of identity. Thus, cooking is a form of communication, in which societies can express their structure, characterizing and differentiating peoples (Lévi-Strauss, 2004LÉVI-STRAUSS, C. O cru e o cozido. São Paulo: Cosac & Naify, 2004.).

Cooking involves several symbols and meanings, which include, other than techniques and skills, self-donation (Ferreira; Wayne, 2018FERREIRA, J. W.; WAYNE, L. S. A cozinha das mulheres. Revista Espacialidades, Natal, v. 13, n. 1, p. 107-126, 2018. DOI: 10.21680/1984-817X.2018v13n01ID17598
https://doi.org/10.21680/1984-817X.2018v... ). It is a legitimate social practice, which can function as a creative space of everyday life and enables creation by infinite possibilities of combination and preparation methods. Cooking is also an action by which one can preserve the past or innovate (Diez-Garcia; Castro, 2011DIEZ-GARCIA, R. W.; CASTRO, I. R. A culinária como objeto de estudo e de intervenção no campo da Alimentação e Nutrição. Ciência e Saúde Coletiva, Rio de Janeiro, v. 16, n. 1, p. 91-98, 2011. DOI: 10.1590/S1413-81232011000100013
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-8123201100... ). In this way, cooking becomes a way of expressing immaterial culture. The ways of making and consuming food work as a field of production and verbalization of knowledge and flavors (Meneses, 2013MENESES, M. P. Para ampliar as Epistemologias do Sul: verbalizando sabores e revelando lutas. Configurações, Braga, n. 12, p. 13-27, 2013. DOI: 10.4000/configuracoes.1948
https://doi.org/10.4000/configuracoes.19... ). The exchange and multiplication of knowledge that permeates cooking can enable more autonomy and empowerment for people (Diez-Garcia; Castro, 2011DIEZ-GARCIA, R. W.; CASTRO, I. R. A culinária como objeto de estudo e de intervenção no campo da Alimentação e Nutrição. Ciência e Saúde Coletiva, Rio de Janeiro, v. 16, n. 1, p. 91-98, 2011. DOI: 10.1590/S1413-81232011000100013
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-8123201100... ). The process of sharing this information is a mean to preserve the traditional and local peoples knowledge, which is a process that has been weakened throughout generations (Brasil, 2014BRASIL. Ministério da Saúde. Guia alimentar para a população brasileira. 2. ed. Brasília, DF, 2014.).

Recommendations related to cooking can be found in Brazilian official documents, such as Marco de Referência de Educação Alimentar e Nutricional para as Políticas Públicas (Brasil, 2012BRASIL. Ministério do Desenvolvimento Social e Combate à Fome. Marco de Referência de Educação Alimentar e Nutricional para as Políticas Públicas. Brasília, DF, 2012.) (Reference Guide of Food and Nutritional Education for Public Policies) and Guia alimentar para a população brasileira (Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population) (Brasil, 2014BRASIL. Ministério da Saúde. Guia alimentar para a população brasileira. 2. ed. Brasília, DF, 2014.). These documents contribute to the implementation of the guideline for the Promoção da Alimentação Adequada e Saudável (Promotion of Adequate and Healthy Eating) (PAAS), which is part of the Política Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição (National Policy for Food and Nutrition) (PNAN) (Brasil, 2013BRASIL. Ministério da Saúde. Política Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição. Brasília, DF, 2013.). The PNAN (Brasil, 2013BRASIL. Ministério da Saúde. Política Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição. Brasília, DF, 2013.) aims to improve the conditions of food, nutrition, and health of the Brazilian population and has, among its principles, respect for diversity and food culture, as well as the strengthening of the autonomy of individuals. The PAAS guideline, which composes this policy, is a set of strategies that enable individuals and groups to carry out dietary practices that are appropriate to biological and sociocultural aspects and addresses the environmental sustainability (Brasil, 2013BRASIL. Ministério da Saúde. Política Nacional de Alimentação e Nutrição. Brasília, DF, 2013.). In its practice, cooking can encompass cultural, environmental, social, economic, and political dimensions. It is a promising space to promote dialogues, reflections, learning, and transformations.

In this process, cooking provides individuals and communities with diverse and meaningful connections, for example with whom and how makings are shared, assuming an essential role as a link between the field-where the aliments came from-and the table-where the food is served. In this way, cooking is part of a broad path of the aliment, from field to table, which has several interfaces with sustainability.

Therefore, this study aims to describe and to analyze everyday elements related to the act of cooking and its relations with the food system, from the experience of a group of female urban farmers in the east side of the city of São Paulo.

Methodology

In this study, a qualitative approach was used, so that several elements were observed simultaneously in a small group of people, allowing for the production of knowledge on the experience of cooking (Victora; Kanauth; Hassem, 2000VICTORA, C.; KNAUTH, D.; HASSEM, M. N. Pesquisa qualitativa em saúde: uma introdução ao tema. Porto Alegre: Tomo Editorial, 2000.) from a group of female urban farmers. The work was carried out with the Mulheres do GAU (Women of GAU-Urban Agriculture Group), who are mostly northeastern migrants who develop their activities in a plant nursery, the Viveiro Escola União de Vila Nova. Located in the east side of the city of São Paulo, the Viveiro, 2500m² space, was founded in 2009 and is a space coordinated by the Companhia de Desenvolvimento Habitacional e Urbano (Housing and Urban Development Company). The participation and daily coexistence of women in the maintenance of the Viveiro led to the creation of Women of GAU, who find a potential resource to contribute to their history that of the neighborhood in this place.

These women are responsible for the maintenance of the Viveiro, by actions such as planting, cultivation, harvesting, and agroforestry management. The crops are free of pesticides and chemical compounds, and fruits, vegetables, flowers, and unconventional food plants (UFP) are grown in the space. To make the Viveiro an income-generating facility, the Women of GAU launch the initiative to produce food for breakfasts and lunches, using ingredients harvested on site. In this way, they started a new activity. Other than taking care of the market garden, they included the act of cooking as one of their activities. They propose to provide, by their makings, health, care, and some of their stories to people.

Currently, the Women of GAU are divided into two groups: market garden and kitchen. The market garden group is responsible for growing and selling the food they plant. In their practices, the women of this group use agroecology and permaculture techniques, growing vegetables, medicinal herbs, fruit trees, and UFP. After harvesting, these aliments are used by the members in their food preparations, as well as sold to the local community, in agroecological fairs, events, among others.

The kitchen group works in an environment with a pantry to store food and equipped with a refrigerator and microwave, as well as conventional and industrial stoves. These women use the products of the market garden to make different recipes, such as breads, juices, and jams, which are later marketed in the community, at farmers markets, events, or made-to-order. Other than the sale of these products, they also offer, as a service, lunches at the Viveiro and coffee breaks at events. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the kitchen group began selling packed lunches, which were purchased by surrounding non-governmental organizations and distributed to socially vulnerable people. However, even with a division, women from different groups help each other when needed. Furthermore, as a collective, they jointly carry out activities, such as experiences, workshops, and meetings related to themes of the market garden and the kitchen, creating a space to learn and to exchange with the local community and with visitors from elsewhere.

Seven women, who were actively engaged in the activities of the collective during the period of fieldwork (October and November 2020), agreed to participate in the study. They were aged from 43 to 69 years, all mothers who live in the east side of the city of São Paulo and migrated from the Northeast region, six from Bahia and one from Pernambuco. In accordance with ethical precepts, which aim to preserve participants’ identity, their real names were replaced by PANC names. Thus, the participants are indicated as Capuchinha, Feijão-guandu, Hibisco, Mandacaru, Ora-pro-nóbis, Peixinho-da-horta, and Tomate-melão. This project was registered and approved in the CEP, under opinion No. 4,285,942, on September 18, 2020.

To generate the data analyzed in this study on the meanings of cooking, body-maps storytelling were used. The body-maps are a method of creative visual research, in which, by the drawing of the body contours of the participants, visual (body-map) and oral (storytelling) data are produced (Conceição; Magalhães; Gastaldo, 2021CONCEIÇÃO, M.I.G.; MAGALHÃES, L.; GASTALDO, D. Introdução aos mapas corporais narrados: uma metodologia qualitativa para estudar saúde coletiva. In: MENDONÇA, A. V. M.; SOUSA, M. F. (Org.). Métodos e técnicas de pesquisa qualitativa em saúde. Brasília, DF: ECoS, 2021. v. 1, p. 119-135.). In other words, this method use drawings, paintings, and other art-based techniques to visually represent aspects of people’s lives and the world they live in (Gastaldo et al., 2012GASTALDO, D. et al. Body-Map Storytelling as Research: Methodological considerations for telling the stories of undocumented workers through body mapping. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2012.). This method enables the expression of feelings, experiences, and meanings, which stimulates reflection, promoting the production of good-quality data (Gastaldo et al., 2012GASTALDO, D. et al. Body-Map Storytelling as Research: Methodological considerations for telling the stories of undocumented workers through body mapping. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2012.). Thus, the methodology involves the participants as co-producers of knowledge, presenting a potential to decolonize the production of knowledge in the health sciences (Gastaldo; Rivas-Quarneti; Magalhães, 2018GASTALDO, D.; RIVAS-QUARNETI, N.; MAGALHÃES, L.. Body-Map Storytelling as a Health Research Methodology: Blurred Lines Creating Clear Pictures. Forum: Qualitative Social Research, Berlin, v. 19, n. 2, 2018. DOI: 10.17169/fqs-19.2.2858
https://doi.org/10.17169/fqs-19.2.2858... ).

The script of this study was elaborated based on the model available in the Pesquisa através de mapas corporais narrados manual by Gastaldo et al. (2012GASTALDO, D. et al. Body-Map Storytelling as Research: Methodological considerations for telling the stories of undocumented workers through body mapping. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2012.). The original structure, including the number and length of the meetings, was maintained, and the themes of each meeting and its guiding questions were adapted to meet the study aim. The script was structured to contemplate three individual, one-hour long meetings for each participant, held weekly, with the presence of the researcher.

To create the map, rolls of white plotter paper 914cm × 50m, crayons, colored pencils, graphite pencils, eraser, scissors, and glue were used. Participants could ask the researcher to print an image to be taken to the subsequent meetings, which occurred in the creation of some maps. The meetings’ audios were recorded via smartphone, with the consent of the participants, for later analysis with the map.

The meetings were held at the Viveiro Escola União de Vila Nova. The body tracing was made on the dirt floor of the facility, using paper rolls and other available materials. After drawing the body, maps were arranged on a large table and build according to the semi-structured questions from the script, showed in Chart 1 (for the detailed version of the script see Rigote (2022RIGOTE, G. Cozinhando mudanças: os significados do ato de cozinhar para mulheres de um Grupo de Agricultura Urbana da zona leste da cidade de São Paulo. 2022. 152 f. Dissertação (Mestrado em Saúde Pública) - Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, 2021. DOI: 10.11606/D.6.2021.tde-07022022-205337
https://doi.org/10.11606/D.6.2021.tde-07... )).

Fieldwork was conducted during the pandemic, in October and November 2020. The meetings were held after the city of São Paulo reached the phase of partial “opening” (with fewer restrictions) of the São Paulo Plan, which was the State Government’s strategy for coping with COVID-19 (São Paulo, 2020SÃO PAULO. Decreto no 64.994, de 28 de maio de 2020. Dispõe sobre a medida de quarentena de que trata o Decreto no 64.881, de 22 de março de 2020, institui o Plano São Paulo e dá providências complementares. Diário Oficial, Poder Executivo, São Paulo, 29 maio 2020. p. 1.). The research took place in an open and airy place and, in the meetings, only the researcher and the interviewee were present, following health authorities’ recommendations, such as distancing, using hand sanitizer, face masks, and face shield (provided by the researcher). Notably, all people involved in this phase (participants and researcher) felt safe and comfortable to participate in the research. After each meeting, all materials were sanitized with alcohol sanitizer.

According to Gastaldo et al. (2012GASTALDO, D. et al. Body-Map Storytelling as Research: Methodological considerations for telling the stories of undocumented workers through body mapping. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2012.), the final product of the body-mapping process is a mapped history that bares three elements: (I) testimony, that is, a brief story narrated in the first person; (II) body map; and (III) legend to describe the visual elements of the map. The analysis of the body-map must be integrally done, including not only the newly created map, but also the process of creation, along with the testimony and the legends. The analysis did not aim to psychologically evaluate participants, but to obtain an insight into certain aspects (Gastaldo et al., 2012GASTALDO, D. et al. Body-Map Storytelling as Research: Methodological considerations for telling the stories of undocumented workers through body mapping. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2012.). In this study, the themes and categories of analysis were elaborated based on the transcription of the meetings’ recordings, which were transcribed and analyzed in an inductive and data-driven way, without trying to fit them into a pre-existing coding (Braun; Clarke, 2006BRAUN, V.; CLARKE, V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, Abingdon, v. 3, n. 2, p. 77-101, 2006. DOI: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063o... ).

Thematic analysis is a useful and flexible method for qualitative research. For this study, the six phases of thematic analysis proposed by Braun and Clarke (2006BRAUN, V.; CLARKE, V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, Abingdon, v. 3, n. 2, p. 77-101, 2006. DOI: 10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063o... ) were followed.

Results and discussion

Based on the data analysis, it was observed, by the experience of the group of urban farmers, the repercussions of their work for society and the planet, as well as their relations with sustainability and food systems.

The work of the Women of GAU and its repercussions for society and the planet

The perception of Women of GAU have about the importance and impact of their work is not limited to the community in which they are inserted or to the people who participate directly in the activities they develop. In these women’s view, their tasks benefit society and the planet. The participant Feijão-guandu mentions urban farming as a practice related to feeding people and caring for the environment.

The participant Hibisco also relates her work to broader issues, as she speaks of the insights she has had over the years working with farming. In this way, it shows the potential that farm work can provide to the connection and reflection on aspects involving the improvement of the environment in which one lives (Ribeiro et al., 2011RIBEIRO, S. M. et al. Agricultura Urbana Agroecológica - Estratégia de promoção da saúde e segurança alimentar e nutricional. Revista Brasileira em Promoção da Saúde, Fortaleza, v. 25, n. 3, p. 381-388, 2012. DOI: 10.5020/2269
https://doi.org/10.5020/2269... ). Hibisco mentions, for example, the impact of consumerism on environmental issues and its consequences, which are evident in everyday life, such as the unstable and the unpredictable climate that affects the crops. She complements by saying that, with all knowledge she has acquired, she realized she could collaborate with the change of this situation and be an example for other people to contribute.

Interfaces with sustainability and food systems

These actions carried out by the Women of GAU, undergo the path of the aliment from soil to table, which is broad, diverse, and complex, having interfaces with sustainability and composing important parts of the food system (FS). The definition of FS is a system formed by a set of elements (environment, people, infrastructures, etc.) and activities related to several stages, such as production, distribution, preparation, and consumption of aliments, also comprising their socioeconomic and environmental results (HLPE, 2014HLPE - The High Level Panel of Experts. Food losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition. Rome: FAO, 2014.). A sustainable FS can provide food and nutritional security for all, not compromising economic, social, and environmental structures, to generate food security and nutrition for future generations (HLPE, 2014HLPE - The High Level Panel of Experts. Food losses and waste in the context of sustainable food systems. A report by the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition. Rome: FAO, 2014.). In the debates regarding the sustainability of the FS, it is important to consider the environmental aspects together with cultural, social, and economic aspects (Ribeiro; Jaime; Ventura, 2017RIBEIRO, H.; JAIME, P. C.; VENTURA, D. Alimentação e sustentabilidade. Estudos Avançados, São Paulo, v. 31, n. 89, p. 185-198, 2017. DOI: 10.1590/s0103-40142017.31890016
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0103-40142017.3... ).

Currently, the global FS is unsustainable and face several problems, such as climate change, local armed conflicts, difficulties in accessing food and resources, among others (Marchioni; Carvalho; Villar, 2021MARCHIONI, D. M.; CARVALHO, A. M. de; VILLAR, B. S. Dietas sustentáveis e sistemas alimentares: novos desafios da nutrição em saúde pública. Revista USP, São Paulo, v. 1, n. 128, p. 61-76, 2021. DOI: 10.11606/issn.2316-9036.i128p61-76
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9036.... ). Such problems are complex and have a great impact on the health of people and the planet, making this a theme based on discussions of global scope, as it was present in the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations (UN), for sustainable development, which aims to end poverty and promote a dignified life for all, respecting the limits of the planet (UN, 2015ONU - Organização das Nações Unidas. Transformando nosso mundo: a agenda 2030 para o desenvolvimento sustentável. Brasília, DF, 2015.).

Since all decisions, such as what and how one eats, are social and political, the participation and involvement of the population in facing the issues related to FS is also essential. Food consumption practices are an essential part of mitigating issues related to climate change and the food system, which extend to what and how people eat in their daily lives (Mäkelä; Niva, 2015MÄKELÄ, J; NIVA, M. Citizens and sustainable culinary cultures. In: MÄKELÄ, J; NIVA, M. Climate Change Adaptation and Food Supply Chain Management. Abingdon: Routledge, 2015. p. 172-182.). The essential aspects of a sustainable eating routine are the moderate consumption of meat products, vegetable oils, and sugar; the change of the pattern of current diets to versions that have higher consumption of vegetables; the reduction of the consumption of ultra-processed foods and food waste (Lawrence et al., 2019LAWRENCE, M. et al. Sustainable diets: the public health perspective. In: BURLINGAME, B.; DERNINI, S. (Ed.). Sustainable diets: linking nutrition and food systems. Boston: CABI, 2019. p. 13-22.). Moreover, sustainable eating patterns consider the cultural heritage, food quality, and culinary skills of the population (Lairon, 2012LAIRON, D. Biodiversity and sustainable nutrition with a food-based approach. In: BURLINGAME, B.; DERNINI, S. (Ed.). Sustainable Diets and Biodiversity: directions and solutions for policy, research and action. Rome: FAO ; 2012. p. 30-35.).

The Women of GAU’s activities, related to farming and cooking, converge with the aforementioned aspects, contributing to the promotion of a sustainable FS, which impacts on the health of people and the planet. In the context of the Women of GAU, the application of the four fundamental aspects of a sustainable diet (Lawrence et al., 2019LAWRENCE, M. et al. Sustainable diets: the public health perspective. In: BURLINGAME, B.; DERNINI, S. (Ed.). Sustainable diets: linking nutrition and food systems. Boston: CABI, 2019. p. 13-22.) can be observed below:

These four aspects are present in the makings that the participants cook, such as the vegetarian moqueca of green papaya and the breaded peixinho-da-horta that Ora-pro-nóbis put on her map. This is an option that encourages moderate consumption, higher vegetable intake, and reduced consumption of ultra-processed foods and food waste.

Hibisco addresses the importance of the work they do and raise perceptions of points that are significant for a sustainable FS, such as the importance of the work of the farmer, unconventional agriculture, and the connection between healthy eating, environment, and global health (Martinelli; Cavalli, 2019MARTINELLI, S.S.; CAVALLI, S.B. Alimentação saudável e sustentável: uma revisão narrativa sobre desafios e perspectivas. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, Rio de Janeiro, v. 24, n. 11, p. 4251-4262, 2019. DOI: 10.1590/1413-812320182411.30572017
https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232018241... ).

Finally, Hibisco emotionally talks about the dream she has, in which projects like the Women of GAU that include both farming and cooking, will expand and be acknowledged by the government:

The participant’s speech stresses the importance of public policies in strengthening and reproducing this type of initiative. For her, a city like São Paulo, which has so much to offer, can also promote farming and a healthy diet for all, especially for socially vulnerable people, such as those from poor neighborhoods. This is related to the importance of the role of urban regions in facing these challenges locally, since the organization of cities enables the creation, strengthening, and fulfillment of actions and public policies, which are associated with the promotion of a sustainable FS (Costa, 2016COSTA, M. A. (Org.). O Estatuto da Cidade e a Habitat III: um balanço de quinze anos da política urbana no Brasil e a nova agenda urbana. Brasília, DF: Ipea, 2016.).

Municipalities can contribute to this FS by implementing, locally, strategies that ensure the democratization of access to healthy food, combat food waste in distribution and consumption, as well as promoting discussions on the impacts of eating on biodiversity and the cultures of traditional peoples (Tângari, 2019TÂNGARI, J. M. et al. Construindo políticas alimentares: o papel das cidades e dos cidadãos. In: ROCHA, M. G.; TÂNGARI, J.M.; XAVIER, F.T. (Org.). Isto Não é (apenas) um Livro de Receitas: é um jeito de mudar o mundo. 2. ed. Rio de Janeiro: Fundação Heinrich Böll, 2019. p. 22-25. Disponível em: <Disponível em: https://74ca6b36-53be-4db5bb07b19c950dec5e.filesusr.com/ugd/349c51_53b108352e37415bbaf5c05f52d93d00.pdf >. Acesso em: 15 jul. 2021.
https://74ca6b36-53be-4db5bb07b19c950dec... ). To overcome this challenge of creating a sustainable FS, it is essential to involve multiple actors in the discussions, covering production systems, supply chains, food environments, and consumption (Marchioni; Carvalho; Villar, 2021MARCHIONI, D. M.; CARVALHO, A. M. de; VILLAR, B. S. Dietas sustentáveis e sistemas alimentares: novos desafios da nutrição em saúde pública. Revista USP, São Paulo, v. 1, n. 128, p. 61-76, 2021. DOI: 10.11606/issn.2316-9036.i128p61-76
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2316-9036.... ). Therefore, structural actions are necessary together with actions that understand the eating ways of individuals and collectivities.

Final considerations

Data were generated based on the experience of female urban farmers, who experience the act of cooking as a daily work. These data enabled a better understanding of how their work impact society and the planet, as well as their interfaces with sustainability and food systems.

The Viveiro Escola União de Vila Nova is an educational space, where activities and meetings promoted by the Women of GAU, also has partnerships with other people, groups, and organizations, which contributes to the improvement and development of the actions carried out by them. The development of the act of cooking, together with urban farming, in a context such as that of the Viveiro, which provides an educational space, can be a tool for health promotion at the local level. This raises discussions on aliment and food and provides the transformation of a certain reality, which generates a positive impact on people’s health and the creation of healthy environments.

The act of cooking proved to be a connector between the field and the table, strengthening and being strengthened by the practices of urban and peri-urban farming. Furthermore, this act can be an interesting tool to promote health in its broadest sense, contemplating biopsychosocial well-being regarding issues of social, economic, and environmental sustainability, to promote more sustainable food systems, showing that it is an essential tool to face the challenges of the Anthropocene. Notably, to be able to cook and to have this transformative potential, basic resources are needed, such as access to food, drinking water, electricity, and bottled gas. However, in the Brazilian reality, marked by socioeconomic inequalities and returning to the UN’s Hunger Map, the population has no access to these basic resources. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen public policies.

References

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