Favela Agriculture, Rio de Janeiro

The rapid urbanization policies that recrafted Rio de Janeiro as a world mega-event venue in the years 2012-2016 dramatically altered the socio-economic and security landscape of the city, and in particular, its favela communities. These changes focused on economic expansion and dispossession, were driven by public-private investment partnerships, supported through governmental policy, and facilitated by a military pacification campaign. Many interventions resulted in the displacement of favela residents. Others opened up opportunities to create productive spaces, particularly in the area of food and nutrition security. This site report describes some of these key initiatives, and how they impacted on the social landscape.