Author(s)

ISABEL MARIA MADALENO

Abstract

This article addresses the issue of food and spices grown and traded in Latin America, mostly in food gardens that are inside cities and metropolitan areas. The research question is: how can nutritious foods be available for consumers? Results from a series of projects about the useful flora consumed in nine countries of the New World, at the beginning of European colonisation and in modern times, using old manuscripts as secondary research source and semi-structured interviews of urban gardeners, farmers, traders, and consumers, as a primary source, have shown that native fresh fruits and vegetables are the option for Latin Americans. A total of 1,724 testimonies were gathered for two decades, from a percentage of 56.34 urban gardeners and farmers, from Cuba and Mexico to Southern Argentina and Chile, giving us a good number of food options that might improve family diets all over the world. Further promotion of urban agriculture and training on food and spice conservation techniques might boost the availability of nutritious diets for all.

Keywords

nutrition, urban agriculture, food sovereignty, sustainable cities, Latin America