Fatores associados à insegurança alimentar nas retomadas Guarani e Kaiowá em Mato Grosso do Sul

Abstract

In the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), between 1915 and 1928, eight Indigenous Reserves were established, primarily for the Guarani and Kaiowá peoples, who had been expelled from their traditional territories. Beginning in the 1980s, these peoples began returning to their territories in a process known as retomadas. In these areas, families remain awaiting land regularization and live under conditions marked by Food and Nutritional Insecurity (FNI) and limited access to public health, social assistance, and education policies. FNI results from factors such as low income, limited access to quality food, and lack of basic sanitation and treated water, affecting groups whose basic rights are violated, such as indigenous peoples, more severely. Given this context, this study aims to evaluate the factors associated with Food Insecurity (FI) in the Guarani and Kaiowá retaken lands in Mato Grosso do Sul. This is a cross sectional study, part of the research project “Food and nutritional sovereignty and insecurity in Kaiowá and Guarani communities in Mato Grosso do Sul,” conducted in five retaken lands: Guaiviry, Kurusu Ambá, Ypo’i, Ñande Ru Marangatu, and Apyka’i. Data collection included sociodemographic characteristics, such as retaken territory, education, and total family income; lifestyle-related characteristics (alcohol and tobacco use); and food and nutrition characteristics, including FI status and the origin and quality of drinking water, among others. The data were analyzed in IBM SPSS, using Pearson's chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. The prevalence of FI was 79.6%, with 49.1% mild FI, 20.7% moderate FI, and 9.8% severe FI. Regarding family profiles, residents of Ñande Ru Marangatu predominated (47.7%), with incomplete elementary education (43.1%), headed by men (50.2%), predominantly between 20 and 39 years of age (59.4%), belonging to the Guarani-Kaiowá ethnic group (46.0%), and with an income between half and one minimum wage (45.5%). Moderate and severe FI was higher in households with self-reported regular/poor/very poor health (52.8%), use of river water (50.5%), negative assessment of water quality (48.9%), and income below half the minimum wage (46.2%). These findings indicate that FI in retomadas is associated with poorer health conditions, precarious access to water, and low income, highlighting the structural role of territorial guarantees and public policies in reducing these vulnerabilities.