Just like in the rest of the world, the urban population in Sweden is increasing each year, which means that cities are becoming increasingly densified and natural green areas are claimed and used for built environment. As a result, biodiversity in cities is often low and inhabitants risk facing losses of ecosystem services of various kinds. As a counterforce to these challenges linked to urbanization, urban agriculture has become an increasingly popular and growing phenomenon in Sweden in recent years. Researchers have begun to recognize the potential of urban agriculture to address the issues of urban green spaces, food security and social interaction between different cultures in cities.  Despite the growing interest in urban agriculture, there seems to be a lack of empirical studies examining the potential of urban agriculture to contribute ecosystem services to cities. The aim of this thesis is thus to investigate and map ecosystem services from urban agriculture systems and perform a resilience analysis to assess the opportunities and challenges associated with the management and development of ecosystem services from urban agriculture. To do this, a case study was performed on two different types of urban farms located in the Stockholm region. The study was delimited to look at regulating, provisioning, and cultural ecosystem services from urban agriculture for commercial use in Stockholm. Moreover, the study applied a qualitative and semi-quantitative research method where the collection of data material was based on a literature study, semi-structured qualitative interviews, and observations. A resilience analysis of the empirically collected data material was performed using seven principles as a framework. These principles have been presented in previous research and are shown to have important links to the management of ecosystem services.  The results of the study show that commercial urban agriculture in Stockholm has great potential to contribute with ecosystem services to the city as the two investigated cases contribute with regulating, provisioning, and cultural services of various kinds. The studied outdoor farm was shown to contribute with 26 different ecosystem services, while the studied indoor farm in greenhouse was shown to contribute with 9. Furthermore, the study indicates that the two studied cases are, at present, not independent of external systems as they, among other things, require some inputs to maintain respectively cultivation activities. From a resilience perspective, the study indicates that many activities that are currently carried out in the studied urban farms contribute to strengthening the resilience of the produced ecosystem services. Examples of this are that they actively work for knowledge development, participate in research projects, integrate systems and risk thinking and involve a varied range of actors in their businesses. However, the study also suggests that challenges to strengthen resilience exists and look different in the two different urban farms. For the outdoor farm, it is indicated that the biggest challenges are related to financial aspects, as this is an obstacle to launching more ideas related to agriculture activities and thus also an obstacle to increasing the diversity of ecosystem services. For the indoor farm in greenhouse, on the other hand, challenges related to infrastructure and the dependence on a stable electricity supply to strengthen resilience through diversity of ecosystem services are emphasized. Finally, it can be stated that cooperation between actors at different levels is an important factor for the development of urban agriculture and for the resilience of the ecosystem services produced. / Precis som i resten av världen ökar den urbana befolkningen i Sverige varje år, vilket innebär att städerna blir alltmer tätbebyggda och grönområden tas i anspråk för att ge plats åt bebyggd miljö. Till följd av detta är den biologiska mångfalden i städer oftast låg och den urbana människan riskerar att gå miste om ekosystemtjänster av olika slag. Som motkraft till dessa utmaningar kopplade till urbanisering har stadsodling kommit att bli ett alltmer populärt och växande fenomen i Sverige under de senaste åren. Forskare har börjat erkänna potentialen för stadsodling att ta itu med frågorna om urbana grönområden, livsmedelssäkerhet och social interaktion mellan olika kulturer i städerna.  Trots det ökande intresset för stadsodling tycks det finnas en brist på empiriska studier som undersöker stadsodlingens potential att bidra med ekosystemtjänster till städer. Syftet med detta examensarbete är således att undersöka och kartlägga ekosystemtjänster från stadsodlingssystem samt utföra en resiliensanalys för att bedöma de möjligheter och utmaningar som är förknippade med förvaltning och utveckling av ekosystemtjänster från stadsodling. För att göra detta utfördes en fallstudie på två olika typer av stadsodlingar belägna i Stockholmsregionen. Studien avgränsades till att undersöka reglerande, försörjande och kulturella ekosystemtjänster från stadsodling för kommersiellt bruk i Stockholm. Vidare tillämpade studien en kvalitativ och semi-kvantitativ forskningsmetod där insamling av datamaterial baserades på en litteraturstudie, semistrukturerade kvalitativa intervjuer och observationer. En resiliensanalys av det empiriskt insamlade datamaterialet utfördes genom att använda sju principer som ramverk. Dessa principer har presenterats i tidigare forskning och visats ha viktiga kopplingar till förvaltning av ekosystemtjänster.  Studiens resultat visar att kommersiell stadsodling i Stockholm har stor potential att bidra med ekosystemtjänster till staden då de båda undersökta fallen bidrar med reglerande, försörjande och kulturella tjänster av olika slag. Den studerade utomhusodlingen visades bidra med 26 olika ekosystemtjänster, medan den studerade inomhusodlingen i växthus visades bidra med 9 stycken. Vidare indikerar studien att de båda undersökta fallen i dagsläget ej kan vara oberoende av externa system då de bland annat kräver en del insatsmedel för att upprätthålla respektive odlingsverksamhet. Utifrån ett resiliensperspektiv indikerar studien att många aktiviteter som idag utförs i de undersökta stadsodlingarna bidrar till att stärka resiliensen av de producerade ekosystemtjänsterna. Exempel på detta är arbete för kunskapsutveckling, deltagande i forskningsprojekt, integrerade system- och risktänkanden samt involverande av flertalet aktörer. Däremot antyder studien även att utmaningar för att stärka resiliensen dess mer finns, och ser olika ut i de två olika odlingssystemen. För utomhusodlingen indikeras att de största utmaningarna är relaterade till finansiella aspekter, då detta är ett hinder för att sjösätta fler idéer relaterade till odlingsaktiviteter och därmed även ett hinder för att öka mångfalden av ekosystemtjänster. För inomhusodlingen i växthus, å andra sidan, framhävs utmaningar relaterade till infrastruktur och beroendet av stabil elförsörjning för att stärka resiliensen genom mångfald av ekosystemtjänster. Slutligen kan konstateras att samarbete mellan aktörer på olika nivåer är en viktig faktor för utvecklingen av stadsodling och för resiliens hos de producerade ekosystemtjänsterna.

Agriculture is one of the most carbon-intensive sectors in today’s world. With demand for food soaring to feed an ever-increasing population, many methods are employed to produce food, ranging from open-field to greenhouse systems. However, due to their large environmental footprint, urban agriculture methods such as soilless culture systems are increasingly becoming a preferred method for food production. A case study has been performed at Hollbium in Stockholm, Sweden for the purpose of evaluating potential environmental impacts of Hollbium Loop, a vertical hydroponic system used for food production. This is achieved by carrying out a stand-alone assessment of Hollbium Loop, to identify potential environmental hotspots over the product’s lifetime of 10 years. Furthermore, Hollbium Loop’s system is compared to the production of lettuce in a horizontal open-field, a greenhouse farming system and nutrient film technique located in Spain, to identify potential trade-offs. Attributional life cycle assessment (ALCA) has been employed as a methodology with an explicit focus on eight impact categories at a midpoint level. The results of the study indicate that hotspots of environmental impacts in Hollbium Loop’s life cycle are due to the use of an internal combustion engine vehicle for maintenance, production of electronic components and the consumption of electricity in the use phase. In contrast, the results from the comparative scenarios indicated that Hollbium Loop from a life cycle perspective had the highest impacts under all impact categories in relation to the other three systems of food production. When the distance for transportation within the maintenance phase is reduced to a reasonable figure, Hollbium Loop no longer had the highest impacts within global warming and fossil resource scarcity, showing that the distance traversed plays a key role in mitigating the impacts. Other aspects and assumptions are also analyzed further using a sensitivity analysis, which shows that there is scope for decreasing Hollbium Loop’s environmental footprint. It is therefore recommended that Hollbium puts its efforts into optimizing the distance and modes of transport utilized and increasing the outer frame thickness of the Loop to make it sturdy and robust. Finally, it is also advised to increase the Loop’s vertical length to increase the yield per cycle, thereby reducing the overall impacts per kilogram of lettuce produced. / Jordbruket är en av de mest kolintensiva sektorerna i dagens värld. Med en efterfrågan på livsmedel som stiger för att föda en ständigt ökande befolkning, används många metoder för att producera livsmedel. Dessa metoder omfattar allt från öppna fält till växthussystem. På grund av deras stora miljöpåverkan blir emellertid stadsnära jordbruksmetoder, såsom system för hydroponiska odlingar (odlingar utanför jorden) en alltmer föredragen metod för livsmedelsproduktion. En fallstudie har genomförts hos Hollbium i Stockholm, Sverige med syfte att genomföra en utvärdering av den potentiella miljöpåverkan för Hollbium Loop, ett vertikalt hydroponiskt system som används för livsmedelsproduktion. Detta uppnås genom att först utföra en fristående bedömning av Hollbium Loop och på så sätt identifiera potentiella riskområden under produktens livslängd på tio år. Dessutom jämförs Hollbium Loops system med produktionen av sallad i ett horisontellt öppet fält, ett växthusodlingssystem och en näringsfilmsteknik i Spanien för att identifiera potentiella avvägningar. Attributiv livscykelanalys (ALCA) har använts som metod med ett tydligt fokus på åtta karakteriseringsfaktorer för mittpunkt. Resultaten i studien indikerar att riskområden för miljöpåverkan i Hollbium Loops livscykel beror på en användning av fordon med förbränningsmotor i underhållsfasen, produktion av elektroniska komponenter och elförbrukning i användningsfasen. Däremot visade resultaten från de jämförande scenarierna att Hollbium Loop ur ett livscykelperspektiv har den högsta miljöpåverkan i alla påverkanskategorier i jämförelse med de tre andra systemen för livsmedelsproduktion. När avståndet för transport inom underhållsfasen reduceras till en rimlig nivå så hade Hollbium Loop inte längre den högsta påverkan inom global uppvärmning och knappa fossila resurser, vilket visar att det avståndet spelar en nyckelroll för att mildra effekterna. Andra aspekter och antaganden analyseras också vidare med hjälp av en känslighetsanalys, som således visar att det finns utrymme för att minska Hollbium Loops miljöavtryck. Det rekommenderas därför att Hollbium satsar på att optimera avståndet och de transportsätt som används, men att även öka tjockleken av den yttre ramen för att göra den stabil och robust. Slutligen rekommenderas det även att öka systemets vertikala längd för att öka avkastning och därmed minska de totala effekterna per kilo producerad sallad.

Våra städer behöver bli mer hållbara och resilienta för att kunna hantera olika typer av kriser som kan uppstå i samhället. Urban odling framställs vara ett verktyg för att skapa en ökad hållbarhet och resiliens i städer. Denna uppsats syftar därför till att undersöka hur urban odling beskrivs kunna vara ett verktyg för att främja hållbar stadsutveckling och resiliens i New York City. Studien genomfördes genom en tematisk dokumentanalys av sju dokument som behandlar urban odling i New York City. Empirin har vidare analyserats med hjälp av tidigare forskning och det teoretiska ramverket resiliensteori. Resultatet visar på att urban odling framställs kunna bidra till att minska livsmedelsystemets klimatpåverkan, skapa en ökad resiliens mot klimatförändringar, förbättra människors hälsa och bidra till ekonomisk hållbarhet. Trots att urban odling erkänns som ett effektivt verktyg för att främja hållbar utveckling, finns det utmaningar med att mäta dess exakta effekter. Detta pekar på behovet av ytterligare forskning inom området för att bättre förstå dess verkliga påverkan och potential. / Our cities need to become more sustainable and resilient in order to handle various types of crises that may arise in society. Urban farming is presented as a tool for creating increased sustainability and resilience in cities. Therefore, this thesis aims to examine how urban farming is described as a tool for promoting sustainable urban development and resilience in New York City. The study was conducted through a thematic document analysis of seven documents addressing urban farming in New York City. The empirical data was further analyzed using previous research and the theoretical framework of resilience theory. The results show that urban farming is presented as being able to contribute to reducing the climate impact of the food system, creating increased resilience to climate change, improving human health, and contributing to economic sustainability. Although urban farming is recognized as an effective tool for promoting sustainable development, there are challenges in measuring its exact effects. This points to the need for further research in the field to better understand its real impact and potential.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / Poverty, which was traditionally a rural phenomenon, has become one of the main drivers behind people migrating to urban areas. It is estimated that more than 50 per cent of the global population lives in cities while the current annual growth rate of cities in sub-Saharan Africa is almost double the worldwide average. The provision of food for the growing number of poor urban citizens is a major challenge, which needs to be addressed by city authorities. As most of the urbanised poor are exposed to agriculture due to their rural backgrounds, agriculture should be viewed as a possible solution to the challenge of urban food security for the urban poor. Put differently, feeding a growing urban population living in poverty will be one of the major humanitarian and political challenges of the next century. This implies that increased pressure will be put on urban agriculture for food production inside or close to cities, especially in developing countries where poor transportation infrastructure between the cities and rural areas creates problems for food supply. This research explores the significance of urban agriculture as one of the solutions to urban poverty. The aim of this research report is to critically analyse the concept of urban agriculture and how it can contribute to urban renewal and the alleviation of poverty for the urban poor. It focuses particularly on the scope, problems and challenges of urban agriculture in the high density settlements of Khayelitsha-Mitchell’s Plain in Cape Town where widespread poverty and high unemployment intensifies the need for low cost food production for poor households. The research takes into account the lessons learned in the past and looks at the role government, individuals, community organisations, NGO’s and corporate South Africa can play in expanding urban agriculture. We look at the different types of urban agriculture and the various success factors and potential pitfalls in implementing strategies of urban agriculture. This research also takes a closer look at the various problems faced by those keen to utilise urban agriculture opportunities. This research indicates that urbanisation is inevitable and has a negative impact on the poverty levels of urban citizens due to the migration of the rural poor. This is relevant to the Western Cape and in particular, to the Cape Town townships of Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plain, due to the accelerating migration from the rural Eastern Cape. The City of Cape Town is doing a fair amount of work in the field of urban agriculture through the Urban Agriculture Policy it adopted in 2007. However, this research concludes that urban agriculture in Africa, including South Africa, still does not receive the necessary recognition or support when compared to the developed world.

Urban agriculture is gaining more attention because of the current global trends such as urbanization and global economic and food crisis. The numbers of people who practice urban agriculture are estimated to 800 million. Based on this scale and other claims made about urban agriculture, it is argued that urban agriculture must be integrated to urban policy and planning. The premise of this dissertation was to understand motivations and determinants of urban agriculture, and how these can inform policy. The intention of the dissertation was to understand which urban residents in KwaMsane Township of uMkhanyakude district at KwaZulu-Natal province cultivated gardens and why. This was critical considering that generally urban areas are better than rural areas in terms of employment opportunities, infrastructure, and provision of basic services. In pursuit of this objective, the dissertation assessed KwaMsane Township households cultivating gardens in terms of assets, resources, and livelihood strategies with an aim of identifying motivations and determinant factors. The central idea of the dissertation from the onset was to validate the claim that since there is diversity in terms of household composition among those cultivating gardens there are different reasons for engaging with the activity. Using qualitative with borrowed participatory action tools, and quantitative (STATA 11) methods guided by the sustainable livelihood approach, the findings showed that only 9.7% of KwaMsane Township residents cultivated gardens. Of the households 92% were cultivating gardens and consuming their produce because of food demand due to large household size and children, their awareness about nutritional content of fresh vegetables from the soil, their agricultural background of cultivating gardens for subsistence purposes, high food prices from the market, and their lack of necessary skills to create and sell in the local market. The binary logistic regression showed that the determinants for households to cultivate gardens at KwaMsane Township were the presence of children, agricultural assets, governmental grants, and pensioners in a household. The two common factors between the above mentioned determinants were income and time availability which incentivized the practice. The dissertation also showed that the majority of gardeners from KwaMsane Township were in their productive ages (in this case between 29 and 61 years of age), females were more predominant in the activity with few males, and most of the gardeners were educated, and employed. However, gender, education, and employment had little relationship with cultivation of gardens. On average gardeners were older than non-gardeners. It was also shown that gardeners consisted of different income groups but mostly middle income group. The dissertation indicated that the use of urban agriculture by KwaMsane Township gardeners was informed by their motivations which contributed to food security, food sovereignty, and poverty alleviation. / Thesis (M.Dev.Studies)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

Chronic disease and unhealthy weight is an epidemic threatening the future wellbeing of Indianapolis. This study identifies how the City, and its partners, can improve fresh produce access and availability in high-risk neighborhoods through urban farming and gardening strategies. Recommendations for the City and allied organizations include: the degree of participation, food production and distribution, land policy and farm/garden location, educational programming, and economic sustainability. Target areas for new farms and gardens are identified through GIS overlay mapping and computational of indicators for chronic illness, food environment, and food insecurity. The intended outcome is a guide for the City of Indianapolis, and others facing similar problems, to implement and sustain City programs that address health in highrisk neighborhoods. / Department of Landscape Architecture

Introdução: Diante do cenário social contemporâneo, que apresenta dilemas e contradições nos variados campos do conhecimento e âmbitos da vida, o desenvolvimento de ações educativas em saúde e alimentação passa pela ressignificação das práticas relacionadas ao cuidado. No campo da alimentação, é importante que as práticas educativas partam de uma compreensão da alimentação como um fato social e busquem resgatar o vínculo com o alimento e a natureza. A escola é um espaço destacado para desenvolver ações de Educação Alimentar e Nutricional (EAN). As hortas escolares podem ser uma importante estratégia pedagógica, participativa e significante, com possibilidades de articular as disciplinas curriculares e de produzir um aprendizado pelo contato direto com o alimento e a natureza. Tem-se como questão central deste trabalho: que sentidos a horta pedagógica pode produzir na relação com a comida e na relação com a escola? Objetivo: Compreender a produção de sentidos na alimentação, entre os educadores, decorrente do envolvimento com a horta na escola. Material e métodos: Pesquisa qualitativa, com base na hermenêutica filosófica, desenvolvida em três escolas municipais do município de Embu das Artes, situado na região metropolitana de São Paulo. Como procedimentos de coleta de dados foram feitas entrevistas em profundidade com professores, funcionários e diretores das escolas, envolvidos nas atividades desenvolvidas nas hortas escolares. Resultados e discussão: O desenvolvimento da horta nas escolas produziu sentidos que dizem respeito: ao aprendizado horizontal e trocas de experiências; ao contato, ou seja, que permite a vivência e não apenas conteúdos teóricos; ao cuidado, pelas experiências subjetivas e intersubjetivas; ao estreitamento de vínculos com a natureza, com as pessoas, com a comida. As hortas escolares são uma importante proposta pedagógica, pois abrem diversas possibilidades para se pensar a relação com a alimentação e a saúde na sociedade contemporânea. / Introduction: Given the contemporary social scene, which presents dilemmas and contradictions in various fields of knowledge and aspects of life, the development of health and nutrition educational activities passes through redefinition of practices related to health care. In the field of nutrition, comprehension of food as a social fact and rebuilding bonds between food and nature are important perspectives for those educational practices. Schools can be privileged places for developing Food and Nutrition Education actions. School gardens can be an important educational strategy, as it can be participatory and meaningful for the persons involved, with possibilities to articulate curriculum subjects and to produce learning by direct contact with food and nature. The central issue of this thesis is: what senses school garden can produce for the involved persons relationship with food and for their relationship with the school dynamics? Objective: To understand the production of meanings related to food, among educators, due to their involvement with school gardens. Methods: A qualitative study, based on philosophical hermeneutics, was conducted in three public schools in the city of Embu das Artes, located in the metropolitan region of São Paulo. For data collecting, in-depth interviews were conducted with teachers, staff and the heads of school, involved in school garden activities. Results and discussion: Developing school gardens have produced senses related to: horizontal learning and exchange of experiences; practical learning, allowing experience of contact and not only theoretical content; building of health care, through subjective and intersubjective experiences; strengthening of bonds with nature, with people and with food. School gardens are an important pedagogical proposal, since it opens many possibilities to think the relationship with food and health in contemporary society.

A agricultura urbana encontra-se presente em diversas civilizações e períodos da História. Entretanto, é na segunda metade do século XX, no contexto dos movimentos contraculturais (com início nos anos 1960/1970), que ela se materializará enquanto resultado de ativismos urbanos, destacadamente via guerrilha verde/guerrilla gardening, ou seja, mediante ações em terrenos públicos ou privados sem permissão prévia. Com isso, hortas comunitárias se tornaram símbolos da luta pela reestruturação do espaço urbano e ampliaram as reflexões sobre a apropriação do espaço público, a origem e qualidade dos alimentos, a cooperação cidadã e o direito à cidade. Esta dissertação tem por objetivo principal melhor compreender a agricultura urbana enquanto expressão ativista, destacadamente na cidade de São Paulo, onde ela se tornou mais evidente a partir da segunda década do século XXI, sobretudo com a emergência da rede Hortelões Urbanos e com a materialização da Horta das Corujas (horta comunitária em praça pública no território da Subprefeitura de Pinheiros), que também ajudaram a impulsionar mudanças legislativas e na composição de conselhos participativos. A partir de um recorte histórico-temporal adequado, empreendeu-se uma análise referente às dinâmicas da metrópole; atentou-se à problemática socioambiental; e regataram-se diferentes conceituações de agricultura urbana, evidenciando suas múltiplas soluções para a questão urbana. A partir da metodologia da pesquisa-ação, desenvolveu-se, por fim, o estudo de caso da Horta das Corujas, apresentando os seus diferentes aspectos socioespaciais vividos e percebidos cotidianamente. Na utopia das revoluções tranquilas, a referida horta comunitária sinaliza outra maneira de se apropriar do espaço público e de viver a cidade, pautada na experiência comunitária de caráter solidário. / Urban agriculture can be found in different civilizations and historical periods. However, it was not until recent times, from the countercultural movements of the 1960s and 70s onwards, that it became associated with \"green guerrilla\" or \"guerrilla gardening\", an activity that includes political actions in publicly or privately-owned land without prior permission. The resulting community gardens came to symbolise the struggle for the re-organisation of the urban space, including the reflection on the uses of public space, the origin and quality of food, the citizens\' rights to cooperate and intervene in the city. This dissertation will focus on urban agriculture as an activist expression, notably in Sao Paulo city, where it has experienced a remarkable development in the last two decades, especially with the emergence of the \"Hortelões Urbanos\" (Urban Gardeners) network and the founding of the Corujas Community Garden on a public square in the subprefecture of Pinheiros, which has contributed to legislative changes and to the reorganisation of participatory councils. My approach will question the adequacy of the historical approach, proposing instead an analysis based on the dynamics of the metropolis, the evaluation of environmental problems and of the different concepts of urban agriculture. Multiple solutions to urban issues will be suggested along the way. Guided by the methodology of the action research, the last section will be devoted to the case study of the Corujas Community Garden, giving pride of place to its socio-spatial aspects as perceived in daily life. I will conclude by addressing the utopia of the \"peaceful revolution\", i.e., the possibility that community gardens can provide a better kind of relationship with the public space and urban life, based on the communal sharing of assets and experiences.

O crescimento no número de hortas urbanas em todo o mundo tem desempenhado um papel importante no fortalecimento de sistemas alimentares urbanos mais sustentáveis. Embora as hortas urbanas ofereçam múltiplos benefícios à sociedade, ainda não é claro em até que medida os vegetais cultivados são contaminados pela absorção de elementos químicos e compostos orgânicos provenientes de deposições atmosféricas, levantando questões sobre o quão seguro é o cultivo de alimentos em metrópoles superlativas. Esta tese foi elaborada com o objetivo de avaliar a influência da poluição do ar em vegetais folhosos cultivados em hortas urbanas na cidade de São Paulo. Foram quantificadas as concentrações de 17 elementos químicos (relacionados ao tráfego veicular e à biologia vegetal) e 16 hidrocarbonetos aromáticos policíclicos (HPAs) absorvidos nas folhas da Brassica oleracea var. acephala (couve) e Tetragonia tetragonioides (Pall.) Kuntze (espinafre). Para verificar a correlação entre os elementos químicos encontrados nos espinafres/couves e os presentes no material particulado atmosférico foram expostos simultaneamente aos vegetais exemplares de Tillandsia usneoides L. (Bromeliaceae). Além disso, utilizamos dois métodos de biomonitoramento: as frequências de micronúcleos em tétrades de Tradescantia pallida (Rose) Hunt. cv. \"Purpurea\" Boom (Trad-MCN) como um indicador de curto prazo de resposta genotóxica à poluição atmosférica, e também o uso de cascas de árvores para quantificar a acumulação de elementos químicos relacionados ao tráfego veicular a longo prazo nas regiões circundantes das hortas. Análises multivariadas foram utilizadas para correlacionar as concentrações elementares, os resultados de biomonitoramento e as características do ambiente urbano local, como variáveis meteorológicas, tráfego e obstáculos verticais adjacentes aos jardins. Encontramos diferenças significativas nas concentrações elementares dos vegetais nas diferentes hortas comunitárias. Essas diferenças foram relacionadas ao tráfego veicular, obstáculos verticais e clima local. As concentrações de Pb e Cd em ambos os vegetais excederam os valores-limite para o consumo após 60 dias de exposição. Observou-se uma forte correlação entre a concentração de elementos relacionados ao tráfego nos vegetais e nos exemplares de Tillandsia usneoides L.. A frequência de Trad-MCN apresentou uma correlação significativa com as variáveis de tráfego e elementos químicos relacionados à ressuspensão de poeira (road dust) e emissão por escape veicular depositados nas cascas de árvores. Foram observadas associações negativas entre Trad-MCN e a distância de vias de tráfego veicular intenso, bem como a presença de obstáculos verticais no entorno das hortas. As concentrações de Mn/Zn presentes nas cascas de árvores foram associadas com o aumento de Trad-MCN. Os níveis de HPAs em ambos os vegetais nos períodos de 45 dias foram < 1 ug kg-1. A poluição do ar proveniente do tráfego veicular influencia diretamente a absorção de elementos químicos em vegetais folhosos e as concentrações desses elementos podem exceder os valores recomendados para o consumo humano / Urban vegetable gardens have steadily increased worldwide playing a significant role in the strengthening of sustainable urban food systems. Although urban gardens provide multiple benefits to society, the extent to which vegetables are contaminated by the absorption of chemical elements and compounds derived from atmospheric deposition is unclear raising questions about how safe is the cultivation of foods in superlative metropolises. This thesis was designed to evaluate the influence of air pollution on leafy vegetables cultivated in gardens of São Paulo, Brazil. We quantified the concentrations of 17 elements (traffic-related and those essential to plant biology) and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) absorbed in the edible tissues of Brassica oleracea var. acephala (collard greens) and Tetragonia tetragonioides (Pall.) Kuntze (spinach). In addition, to verify a correlation between the chemical elements found in collard greens/spinach and those from air pollution particles, we simultaneously exposed specimens of the air plant Tillandsia usneoides L. (Bromeliaceae). Also, we evaluated the use of two biomonitoring methods: the micronuclei frequencies for early tetrads of Tradescantia pallida (Rose) Hunt. cv. \"Purpurea\" Boom (hereafter, Trad-MCN) as a short-term indicator of genotoxic response and tree barks to quantify the accumulation of traffic-related chemical elements as a long-term biomarker of air pollution in urban gardens. Multivariate analysis was used to correlate the elemental concentrations, biomonitoring results and the characteristics of the local urban environment, such as weather variables, traffic burden and vertical obstacles adjacent to the gardens. We found significant differences in the elemental concentrations of the vegetables in the different community gardens. These differences were related to the vehicular traffic, vertical obstacles and local weather. Pb and Cd concentrations in both vegetables exceeded the limit values for consumption after 60 days of exposure. A strong correlation was observed between the concentration of traffic-related elements in vegetables and in Tillandsia usneoides L. The frequency of Trad-MCN had a significant correlation with traffic variables and chemical elements related to road dust and tailpipe emissions deposited in tree barks. Negative associations between Trad-MCN and both the distance through traffic and the presence of vertical obstacles were observed in the vegetable gardens. The Mn and Zn concentration in tree barks were associated with increased Trad-MCN. The levels of PAHs in both vegetables over 45-day periods were < 1 ug kg-1. Air pollution exerts a direct influence in the absorption of urban particles, which may reach levels above the recommended values for consumption

Introdução: Diante do cenário social contemporâneo, que apresenta dilemas e contradições nos variados campos do conhecimento e âmbitos da vida, o desenvolvimento de ações educativas em saúde e alimentação passa pela ressignificação das práticas relacionadas ao cuidado. No campo da alimentação, é importante que as práticas educativas partam de uma compreensão da alimentação como um fato social e busquem resgatar o vínculo com o alimento e a natureza. A escola é um espaço destacado para desenvolver ações de Educação Alimentar e Nutricional (EAN). As hortas escolares podem ser uma importante estratégia pedagógica, participativa e significante, com possibilidades de articular as disciplinas curriculares e de produzir um aprendizado pelo contato direto com o alimento e a natureza. Tem-se como questão central deste trabalho: que sentidos a horta pedagógica pode produzir na relação com a comida e na relação com a escola? Objetivo: Compreender a produção de sentidos na alimentação, entre os educadores, decorrente do envolvimento com a horta na escola. Material e métodos: Pesquisa qualitativa, com base na hermenêutica filosófica, desenvolvida em três escolas municipais do município de Embu das Artes, situado na região metropolitana de São Paulo. Como procedimentos de coleta de dados foram feitas entrevistas em profundidade com professores, funcionários e diretores das escolas, envolvidos nas atividades desenvolvidas nas hortas escolares. Resultados e discussão: O desenvolvimento da horta nas escolas produziu sentidos que dizem respeito: ao aprendizado horizontal e trocas de experiências; ao contato, ou seja, que permite a vivência e não apenas conteúdos teóricos; ao cuidado, pelas experiências subjetivas e intersubjetivas; ao estreitamento de vínculos com a natureza, com as pessoas, com a comida. As hortas escolares são uma importante proposta pedagógica, pois abrem diversas possibilidades para se pensar a relação com a alimentação e a saúde na sociedade contemporânea. / Introduction: Given the contemporary social scene, which presents dilemmas and contradictions in various fields of knowledge and aspects of life, the development of health and nutrition educational activities passes through redefinition of practices related to health care. In the field of nutrition, comprehension of food as a social fact and rebuilding bonds between food and nature are important perspectives for those educational practices. Schools can be privileged places for developing Food and Nutrition Education actions. School gardens can be an important educational strategy, as it can be participatory and meaningful for the persons involved, with possibilities to articulate curriculum subjects and to produce learning by direct contact with food and nature. The central issue of this thesis is: what senses school garden can produce for the involved persons relationship with food and for their relationship with the school dynamics? Objective: To understand the production of meanings related to food, among educators, due to their involvement with school gardens. Methods: A qualitative study, based on philosophical hermeneutics, was conducted in three public schools in the city of Embu das Artes, located in the metropolitan region of São Paulo. For data collecting, in-depth interviews were conducted with teachers, staff and the heads of school, involved in school garden activities. Results and discussion: Developing school gardens have produced senses related to: horizontal learning and exchange of experiences; practical learning, allowing experience of contact and not only theoretical content; building of health care, through subjective and intersubjective experiences; strengthening of bonds with nature, with people and with food. School gardens are an important pedagogical proposal, since it opens many possibilities to think the relationship with food and health in contemporary society.