Fighting insecurity: experiments in urban agriculture in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro

The rapid urbanization policies that are re-crafting Rio de Janeiro as a world mega-event venue are dramatically altering the socio-economic and security landscape of the city, and in particular, its favela communities (informal settlements or slums). These changes focus on economic expansion, are driven by private investment partnerships, are supported through neoliberal governmental policy, and facilitated by a military pacification campaign. Many interventions result in the displacement and destabilization of favela residents. However, there are also some opportunities beginning to open up to create resilient and productive spaces inside these over-stressed communities, particularly in the area of food and nutrition security. This paper describes some of these key initiatives, and how they are impacting on the social landscape of favela residents