Horta Escolar e Agricultura Familiar de Produção Orgânica: Um Estudo com Docentes em Municípios do Oeste do Paraná / School Vegetable Garden and Family Farming with Organic Production: A Study with Teachers in Municipalities in West of Paraná State

A pesquisa teve como objetivo conhecer a percepcao dos professores sobre a importância da horta escolar para a agricultura familiar e orgânica, em municipios da regiao oeste do Parana. A metodologia constituiu-se de uma pesquisa exploratoria, precedida de pesquisa bibliografica. A pesquisa, de abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa mediante aplicacao de questionarios em professores da rede publica do ensino infantil, fundamental e especial de diferentes municipios do oeste do Parana. O estudo atestou que 78% dos professores tem conhecimento sobre o significado da agricultura familiar, que 71% atestam a importância dos produtos orgânicos como alimentos saudaveis e 56% consideram que esse processo auxilia na prevencao ambiental. Pode-se ver que os professores, em sua maioria, sao favoraveis a utilizacao da horta escolar e que nas escolas atualmente a horta escolar tem como principal funcao a alimentacao saudavel dos alunos e diminuicao de gastos. Para 52% dos entrevistados o tema Alimentacao Saudavel e abordado apenas esporadicamente de forma satisfatoria com os alunos na escola na qual atuam e para 5% nao e abordado de forma satisfatoria. Conclui-se que ha deficiencia nos projetos pedagogicos para vincular a horta escolar com os conteudos ensinados e aprendidos na escola e que os docentes nao percebem a horta escolar como ferramenta de ensino e aprendizagem.  Palavras Chave: Horta Escolar. Agricultura Familiar. Producao Orgânica. ABSTRACT The objective of the research was to know the perception of the teachers on the importance of the school vegetable garden for the family and organic agriculture, in municipalities of the western region of Parana State. The methodology consisted of an exploratory research, preceded by bibliographic research. The research, with a qualitative and quantitative approach through the application of questionnaires in teachers of the public network of early childhood education, elementary and special, from different municipalities in the west of Parana State. The study attested that 78% of teachers are aware of the meaning of family farming, 71% attest to the importance of organic products as healthy foods and 56% consider that this process helps in environmental prevention. It was possible to see that the majority of teachers are favorable to the use of the school vegetable garden and that in schools today the school vegetable garden has as its main function the healthy eating of students and the reduction of expenses. For 52% of respondents the theme Healthy Eating is only sporadically addressed in a satisfactory way with the students in the school in which they work and for 5% it is not addressed in a satisfactory way. It is concluded that there is a deficiency in the pedagogical projects to link the school vegetable garden with the contents taught and learned at school and that teachers do not perceive the school garden as a teaching and learning tool. Keywords: School Vegetable Garden. Family Farming. Organic Production.