Aquaponia no município de Santarém - PA: estudo sobre agricultura sustentável, segurança alimentar e nutricional

Abstract

In 2015, the Sustainable Development Summit at the United Nations General Assembly proposed the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These goals encompass various areas such as education, health, consumption, justice, environment, inequalities, and technology. Among them, SDG 2 stands out, aiming to achieve the eradication of hunger, ensure food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. This goal holds significant importance given the current food production situation, often characterized by excessive use of agrochemicals. Therefore, it is imperative to find sustainable solutions that balance human consumption and reduce the impact and waste of natural resources. In agriculture, aquaponics has been adopted as an integrated production technique for both plants and fish, with its ecological nature being a distinctive feature. In this context, this research aims to assess the viability of the aquaponic system from a sustainability perspective (production and consumption), focusing on its implementation in the municipality of Santarém - PA. Methodologically, this is a case study employing a quantitative and qualitative investigative approach. During the field research phase, a semi-structured questionnaire was administered to 21 participants of a course on aquaponics offered by the agronomy college of a local private university. Quantitative data were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed through Discourse Analysis. The obtained results indicate that the practice of aquaponics in Santarém is relatively underexplored, primarily due to a lack of information and subsequent lack of popularity. To bridge this gap, higher education institutions play a crucial role in promoting and mobilizing the dissemination of technical knowledge to local farmers, researchers, and other stakeholders.