The Unconventional Food Plants of Serra Negra da Mantiqueira: Their potential in school meals, gastronomy and honey production.
Food Sovereignty; Stingless bees; Honey plants
The role of unconventional plants has been emphasized due to their great cultural relevance and nutritional qualities. Therefore, the general objective of this study is to identify existing PANC in the region of Mantiqueira, in the cities of Lima Duarte, Bom Jardim de Minas and Olaria in the state of Minas Gerais, verifying the potential of these species for use in the school menu, in the gastronomy aimed at tourism and in the intensification of honey production from native bees. The field survey, in the three cities mentioned above, will be carried out with the owners of restaurants, lunch ladies and school directors and, in addition, the potential of the plants found for local meliponiculture will be investigated. Thus, it is expected with this project to highlight the multifunctionality of the PANC, providing the population with opportunities for healthy food, entrepreneurship, employability, income and environmental conservation.