DESAFIOS E PERSPECTIVAS NA HORTA URBANA NO SISTEMA PRISIONAL DE AQUIDAUANA/MS

Abstract

This study investigates the implementation and impacts of an urban garden at the Aquidauana Penal Establishment in Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Urban agriculture has proven effective in promoting sustainability, food security, and climate resilience in cities, as well as being an important tool for social reintegration in prison contexts. The introduction of gardens in prisons enables inmates to learn agricultural techniques, encourages healthy eating practices, and contributes to improved psychosocial well-being, aiding the social reintegration of inmates. This study analyzes the challenges faced, such as lack of resources, need for technical knowledge, and limited public policy support, along with the perspectives for consolidating this initiative in a prison setting. The Aquidauana urban garden is seen as a model that, by combining food production and social reintegration, has the potential to be expanded to other prison institutions. With the objective of identifying the challenges and perspectives of the urban garden in the Aquidauana prison system, this study maps the gardens’ operations, evaluates their benefits, and encourages reflection on the creation of public policies aimed at expanding urban gardens in the prison system, promoting sustainability and social inclusion.