Strawberries of hope: food security and strawberry production in times of pandemic sacity

Abstract

The Covid-19 pandemic devastated thousands of lives, causing a health and socioeconomic crisis, with direct effects on increasing poverty and hunger. However, these aspects are rarely associated with semi-hydroponic fruit production and its role in food security. Therefore, the objective of this investigation was to identify a successful case of food production in family farming in a small municipality called Diamante do Sul, located in the state of Paraná, Brazil, which has one of the worst Municipal Human Development Indexes of the state. This article was based on a case study. The data were collected from non-participant observation and a semi-structured interview, applied to a farmer selected by convenience. We verified that the technological innovation of semi-hydroponics represents an excellent alternative for the production of strawberry fruit, in quantity and quality. This production system, implemented through the access to rural credit, besides the fast return on investment, acts in the generation of income for the family and the strengthening of their productive autonomy. Thus, the production of strawberries in times of pandemic famine has an influence on food security and the movement of the local economy, since production occurs throughout the year.