Identidade e territorialidade do queijo minas artesanal na região Serras da Ibitipoca

Abstract

In today’s increasingly globalized world, the preservation of Queijo Minas Artesanal (Artisanal Minas Cheese) production represents a form of resistance to homogenizing trends, affirming cultural diversity and local identity by linking knowledge, flavors, and traditions interwoven with the history and identity of Minas Gerais. The artisanal method of making Minas cheese is registered by the Brazilian National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN) as Intangible Cultural Heritage and recognized by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, thus representing and giving greater visibility to the culture and traditions of Minas Gerais. The significance of artisanal Minas cheese extends beyond the culinary domain, encompassing geographic, historical, economic, social, and cultural aspects. The production of this cheese in the selected territorial context of the Ibitipoca Highlands constitutes a territoriality that contributes to the permanence of farmers in rural areas and has attracted “new rural” inhabitants to engage in its production. Inspired by this context, the present study aimed to understand the identity and territoriality associated with the production of Queijo Minas Artesanal in the Ibitipoca Highlands, a region officially recognized in 2020 by the Instituto Mineiro de Agropecuária (IMA) as the 8th rtified production region of Queijo Minas Artesanal in the state of Minas Gerais. This qualitative and exploratory research employed the following methodological procedures: bibliographic and documentary review, interviews with producers and sector professionals, and the analysis of geographic data, having been approved by the Ethics Committee for Research at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF). Field visits were conducted to the municipalities comprising the Ibitipoca Highlands region in order to gain spatial understanding and to analyze the sense of belonging experienced by Queijo Minas Artesanal producers. The geographic characterization was based on the development of thematic maps focused on the region's physical features. The study aims to contribute to the appreciation of traditional knowledge and family farming in the production of Queijo Minas Artesanal, seeking to strengthen the region’s culture and the socioeconomic development of its producers. The research underscores the importance of preserving the intangible cultural heritage represented by the traditional method of cheesemaking and the terroir arising from the edaphoclimatic characteristics of the surrounding mountain ranges. It also highlights the need for public policies that promote and support family farming and for broader discussion of existing regulatory barriers.