As práticas sociais na produção e reprodução da vida cotidiana de uma horta comunitária: o caso da associação dos produtores de hortaliças da COHAB de Lavras, MG

Abstract

Understanding the social practices of the Cohab Vegetable Producers Association in Lavras, MG, in a community garden translates into an important social aspect of collective organization based on the community. Equally significant is understanding and propagating these productive forms of urban agriculture that contribute to the food security, quality of life, and social identity of families and entire communities. In this context, this research aimed to understand the social practices of the members of the Cohab Garden, which, observed over time, enable the production and reproduction of the daily life of this enterprise and ensure the sustainability and continuity of the activities of this collective. The research design consisted of a qualitative approach with a case study methodology. The participant observation method was used to monitor and describe the ultimate foundations of the recurring manifestation of practices within Cohab Garden. Discursive Textual Analysis was used as an approach to data analysis based on the material constituted by the research corpus to access the attribution of meaning and creation of meaning members give to their practical activities. Members of the Cohab Garden anchor their social practices in essential care with all human and non-human agencies in everyday life. Thus, in addition to meaning and giving meaning to their practical activities, they conceive a way of being in the world through care (a way of being cared for). We identified four social practices: donation, mutual help, respect for nature, and poison-free production, which enable the production and reproduction of everyday life at the Cohab Garden and ensure the sustainability and continuity of the activities of this collective over time.