A (in)segurança alimentar e a atividade de mariscagem: o caso do povoado Preguiça em Indiaroba/SE

Abstract

Shellfish gathering, a low-environmental-impact artisanal activity predominantly carried out by women, constitutes a traditional subsistence practice and a means of defending the mangrove as a territory of life. However, communities that depend on this activity face growing environmental, social, and economic challenges, especially due to the expansion of shrimp farming, which degrades mangrove ecosystems and compromises food security. This thesis, developed in the community of Preguiça (Indiaroba, Sergipe State, Brazil), analyzed the social, environmental, economic, and operational conditions related to shellfish gathering and shrimp farming, with a focus on food (in)security and food sovereignty, in dialogue with Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) of the 2030 Agenda.The methodological approach of the thesis was qualitative–quantitative in the first two articles and quantitative in the third, based on data from the Brazilian Food Insecurity Scale (EBIA) and the application of correlation statistics. In addition, data collection procedures included community-based questionnaires, photographic records, workshops, and other methodological strategies. The study was structured into three articles: (i) characterization of the community’s socio-territorial profile, revealing marked socio-environmental vulnerability; (ii) identification of threats to shellfish gathering, highlighting its historical invisibility and the risk of extinction in the face of the advance of shrimp farming; and (iii) assessment of food security, indicating severe food insecurity among shellfish gatherers and moderate food insecurity in the community as a whole, with EBIA index values of 0.71 and 0.51, respectively. It is concluded that shrimp farming weakens shellfish gathering, intensifies socio-environmental vulnerability, and aggravates food insecurity, especially among women. There is an urgent need to implement integrated public policies that strengthen shellfish production, ensure access to diversified foods, and preserve ecosystems, thereby guaranteeing the right to food and the sustainability of local livelihoods.