Loading...
Publication
Sustentabilidade ambiental e humana da produção de alimentos: uma análise comparativa entre agricultura biológica e convencional
| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 980.56 KB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
A produção e o consumo de alimentos produzidos em agricultura biológica (AB) apoiam-se na ideia da sua superior qualidade nutricional e em supostos efeitos benéficos na saúde humana, bem como no menor impacto ambiental da AB relativamente à agricultura convencional (AC). Mas serão mesmo as dietas baseadas nestes alimentos significativamente mais saudáveis para as pessoas e o ambiente e, portanto, mais sustentáveis que as dietas baseadas no modo convencional? O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar uma síntese da informação publicada na última década referente a análises comparativas entre AB e AC, através de um conjunto de indicadores de qualidade ambiental e de saúde humana. Foram consultados diversos estudos, privilegiando aqueles que recorreram a um conjunto de indicadores de qualidade ambiental e de saúde humana. A nível ambiental, os estudos apontam para que, apesar das práticas biológicas terem, em geral, impactes menos negativos por unidade de área que as práticas convencionais, o mesmo não se verifica por unidade de produto. Os estudos sobre o impacto comparativo na biodiversidade mostram a tendência benéfica da AB, apesar de as diferenças se afigurarem pouco consistentes. A presença de resíduos de pesticidas e metais pesados em alimentos biológicos é significativamente menor que nos convencionais. A nível nutricional, os vegetais e frutas biológicos apresentam consistentemente conteúdos mais elevados em metabolitos secundários que os convencionais. Todavia, os estudos disponíveis sobre efeitos na saúde são pouco conclusivos quanto a diferenças consistentes entre modos de produção. Evidências científicas suportam a ideia geral de que a AB tende a constituir um modo de produção de alimentos ambiental e humanamente mais sustentável que a AC, embora as diferenças sejam consistentes apenas em alguns indicadores.
Environmental and human sustainability of food production: a comparative analysis of organic versus conventional agriculture The production and consumption of food produced in organic farming (OF) rely on the idea of its superior nutritional quality and its supposed beneficial effects on human health, as well as lower environmental impact of organic agriculture compared to conventional farming (CF). But diets based on these foods will really be significantly healthier for people and the environment, and therefore more sustainable, than diets based on conventional farming? The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the information published in the last decade, for the comparative analysis of OF vs. CF, through a set of indicators of environmental quality and human health. Several studies were consulted, favoring those which used a set of indicators of environmental quality and human health. The environmental studies indicate that, despite the OF have generally less negative impacts per unit of area than CF, this does not happen by product unit. Studies on the comparative impact on biodiversity show beneficial trend of OF, though the differences are inconsistent. The presence of pesticide residues and heavy metals in organic food is significantly lower than in conventional. With regard to nutrition, organic vegetables and fruits have consistently higher content of secondary metabolites than conventional ones. However, the available studies on the health effects are inconclusive, for consistent differences between production methods. Scientific evidence supports the general idea that OF tends to be a food mode of production, environmentally and humanly more sustainable than the CF, although the differences are consistent only in some indicators.
Environmental and human sustainability of food production: a comparative analysis of organic versus conventional agriculture The production and consumption of food produced in organic farming (OF) rely on the idea of its superior nutritional quality and its supposed beneficial effects on human health, as well as lower environmental impact of organic agriculture compared to conventional farming (CF). But diets based on these foods will really be significantly healthier for people and the environment, and therefore more sustainable, than diets based on conventional farming? The aim of this paper is to present an overview of the information published in the last decade, for the comparative analysis of OF vs. CF, through a set of indicators of environmental quality and human health. Several studies were consulted, favoring those which used a set of indicators of environmental quality and human health. The environmental studies indicate that, despite the OF have generally less negative impacts per unit of area than CF, this does not happen by product unit. Studies on the comparative impact on biodiversity show beneficial trend of OF, though the differences are inconsistent. The presence of pesticide residues and heavy metals in organic food is significantly lower than in conventional. With regard to nutrition, organic vegetables and fruits have consistently higher content of secondary metabolites than conventional ones. However, the available studies on the health effects are inconclusive, for consistent differences between production methods. Scientific evidence supports the general idea that OF tends to be a food mode of production, environmentally and humanly more sustainable than the CF, although the differences are consistent only in some indicators.
Description
Keywords
Alimentação Dietas sustentáveis Efeitos no ambiente Saúde humana Dieta mediterrânica
Citation
Fernandes, J.; Gonçalves, G. & Duarte, A. 2016. Sustentabilidade ambiental e humana da produção de alimentos: uma análise comparativa entre agricultura biológica e convencional. Actas Portuguesas de Horticultura, 25, 158-163.