The multifunctionality of urban horticulture and its integration with the city ecosystem: a brief review of concepts and the case of São Luís

ABSTRACT Urban agriculture is currently carried out all over the world. The activity is characterized by its multifunctionality, contributing to food security, preservation of biodiversity, better use of urban spaces, and proper management of soil and water, in addition to contributing to increasing income and improving the quality of life of farmers who live in the cities. In the 1980s and 1990s, urban agriculture gained momentum on the international scene and, from 2005, in Brazil. Some successful experiences in the world (Detroit, Havana, and St. Petersburg) and in Brazil (Teresina, Sao Paulo, and Belo Horizonte) are briefly reported here. Then, we describe in more detail the case of the city of São Luís. The municipality is situated on an island and its rural spaces have characteristics of peri-urban areas. Agricultural production has low expression in municipal GDP (Gross Development Product). The main products are papaya, cassava, beans, bananas, coconut, and passion fruit and, among the vegetables, roselle, chives, coriander, and West Indian gherkin, traditional regional species of Maranhão cuisine. The activity has two primary groups of actors: producers and intermediaries, with 83 and 41% of them, respectively, living in rural areas. Almost all producers (92%) use their area, 79% use some sustainable fertilization practice, and 69% do not use pesticides. Production areas are small and producers need technical assistance. Transport and poor road conditions are the main challenges to bring products to the markets. The reality that came out from our study indicates the lack of public support to urban farmers in São Luís. On the contrary, successful experiences of urban agriculture have in common the convergence of public policies of urban planning, agriculture and supply, education, and health. Urban agriculture is dynamic and must be integrated into the urban ecosystem to make it possible to unveiling new perspectives on the countryside-city relationship.摘要：都市农业（Urban Agriculture）当前已在全球范围内广泛开展。该活动以多功能性为核心特征，不仅有助于保障粮食安全、保护生物多样性、优化城市空间利用、妥善管理水土资源，还能增加城市农户收入、提升其生活质量。20世纪80、90年代，都市农业在国际舞台上迎来发展契机；自2005年起，该产业在巴西加速崛起。本文简要介绍了全球范围内的若干成功实践案例（底特律、哈瓦那、圣彼得堡）以及巴西国内的典型成功实践（特雷西纳、圣保罗、贝洛奥里藏特）。随后，本文将更为细致地阐述圣路易斯市的都市农业发展现状。该市坐落于一座岛屿之上，其乡村区域兼具城郊地带的典型特征。农业生产在该市市政生产总值（Gross Development Product, GDP）中占比极低。当地主要农产品包括木瓜、木薯、豆类、香蕉、椰子以及西番莲果；蔬菜品类则涵盖玫瑰茄、细香葱、芫荽以及西印度小黄瓜——这些均为马拉尼昂州料理中的传统区域性食材。该产业的核心参与主体分为两类：生产者与中间商，其中分别有83%与41%的从业者居住于乡村区域。几乎所有生产者（92%）均使用自有耕地；79%的生产者采用了可持续施肥技术；69%的生产者不使用农药。生产用地规模普遍偏小，生产者亟需专业技术帮扶。运输环节与恶劣的道路条件，是将农产品运往市场面临的主要挑战。本次研究揭示的现状表明，圣路易斯市的都市农业从业者缺乏公共政策支持。与之相反，全球各地的都市农业成功实践，普遍具备城市规划、农业供给、教育以及卫生等多领域公共政策协同发力的共性特征。都市农业具有动态发展属性，需与城市生态系统深度融合，方能为厘清城乡关系开辟全新视角。