Projeto Hortas urbanas promovendo saúde e bem estar social

The present article aims to demonstrate the experience of the Nucleus of Agroecology Studiesof the Cerrado Mineiro (NACEM) in the implantation of a vegetable garden in a nursing homefor the elderly in the city of Monte Carmelo / MG. The project was promoted through the UFU/ Community Integration Extension Program (PEIC), which contributed to the installation andmaintenance of the garden. The urban gardens recreate the notion of city-countryside unityand reinvent the multifunctionality of the landscape. Working in a community garden helps inthe integration between members of the same community, reduces the stress of urban life,combats sedentariness. It is a noble way to use unused spaces. The proposal aimed to promotechanges in values, habits and changes in attitudes with planting the garden and throughenvironmental education using awareness with the participation of teachers and students ofthe University, community volunteers and the elderly, involved in the action. We can see thatthe project obtained social and economic benefits in an indirect way, making the core studentsinteract with the elderly in the nursing home. Activities of inclusion of the elderly with the vegetablegarden were carried out and also the commercialization of the production of the gardenfor the community, collaborating also with the quality of the feeding of these.