Percepções sobre padrões de consumo alimentar em Santa Terezinha de Itaipu-PR e suas implicações para o desenvolvimento rural sustentável

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the impact of food choices made by urban consumers in the municipality of Santa Terezinha de Itaipu on the sustainable rural development of the area's agricultural zones. In this context, it evaluates whether a concept of sustainability informs agricultural production, considering the latter's environmental influence and capacity to affect ecological balance while striving to meet the supply needs of all consumers. To this end, the study examines how consumers perceive the impact of social culture on food production, whether they recognize the environmental effects of consumption, and whether food costs influence their purchasing decisions. Furthermore, a questionnaire is used to identify the information sources and methods consumers employ when adopting new approaches to food purchasing. The methodology consists of exploratory research using a mixed-methods approach, integrating qualitative and quantitative methods, with cross-sectional data collection covering 50 families living in five urban neighborhoods of the municipality. Data collection included the administration of a questionnaire, interviews, and the use of a field diary as a complementary instrument for recording observations and supporting data interpretation. The results reveal a diverse respondent profile, offering insights into food consumption patterns that are socially shaped by family-inherited habits, socioeconomic status, and gender. Regarding gender, 58% of respondents were women, and 76% of subjects stated that women are responsible for selecting the food to be consumed, making this a task primarily shouldered by women in most families. A large proportion of residents purchase food from local supermarkets, whose managers report sourcing supplies from the CEASA wholesale distribution centers. However, some residents also buy from local vendors and municipal farmers' markets, although there is little apparent concern regarding the environmental impact of food production. Sustainable rural development in Santa Terezinha de Itaipu will only reach its full potential when food choices are understood as the vital link connecting water and soil preservation to the health of the local families. This thesis concludes with an unequivocal call to action: for sustainability to exist in the region and the country, an attitude oriented toward sustainable development must, first and foremost, be cultivated and valued within the municipality's own borders.