Functional diversity and dissimilarity of women’s production in homegardens promote sustainability in the Agroecological Pole of Zona da Mata, southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Homegardens are the cultivated portions of land that surround a house and provide important social, economic, and environmental services. Cultivated homegardens in the recently recognized Agroecological Pole of Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais, Brazil, are still not well known. This study aimed to evaluate the structure, management, functional diversity, and the role of social actors on the goods and services provided by homegardens in the Zona da Mata. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were carried out based on data collected through semi-structured interviews and guided visits to the homegardens. The results showed that the homegardens provide 111 functional groups of products, mostly food, ornamental, and medicinal plants. The homegardens presented low similarity among each other and were all very diverse. Women play a central role in maintaining the high diversity of the homegardens. The agroecological management and diversification of homegardens provide a high degree of ecosystem services. Allied to the cultural aspects of exchange between families, it allows high levels of collective food and nutritional security, as well as the maintenance of popular culture and local traditions. These insights about homegarden management can be used to improve the sustainability and promote the sustainable development not only in the region, but for rural communities in other countries in Latin America and Global South. Specifically, the co-production model of production and distribution adopted by families may be strengthened by policies across the Global South to solve global issues tackled by agroecology, such as food insecurity, loss of traditional knowledge, and decline in ecosystem services and biodiversity.