2024 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

18th Edition

Phase 6 of 7

Publication Preparation 08/09/2024 - 15/10/2024

Process phases

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Belo Horizonte: Policy to Support Urban Agriculture and Agroecology

Official proposal

17/05/2024 16:54

In Belo Horizonte, the capital of Minas Gerais, the Policy to Support Urban Agriculture and Agroecology is a robust and well-structured initiative with roots in the discussions on hunger that took place in the city in the 1990s. This policy, integrated into the city council's organisational chart, aims to promote socio-economic inclusion, food security and environmental sustainability in the city. Through the appropriation of public areas, many of them previously identified as degraded, the city council allocates spaces for agroforestry production in the city. These areas are then distributed to the vulnerable population concerned, without the need for prior knowledge of agriculture. The city's assistance ranges from soil treatment to the distribution of basic inputs for cultivation. The allocation criteria include socio-economic aspects, such as being registered with CadÚnico. The municipality also facilitates the commercialisation of urban farmers' production, promoting their participation in municipal fairs and buying part of the food production to be used in community restaurants and school meals in municipal schools.

As well as promoting socio-economic inclusion and food security, the policy also aims to recover degraded areas, conserve the genetic variability of local flora and sensitise the population to the importance of urban agriculture for environmental preservation. This integrated approach not only provides fresh, healthy food, but also strengthens the local economy and reduces the environmental impact of food production. Thus, the urban agriculture initiative in Belo Horizonte not only meets the immediate needs of the population, but also builds a sustainable path for the city's future, where food production is intrinsically linked to social inclusion and environmental preservation.