Profiling the consumer of agroecological products using cluster analysis

Abstract In a context of searching for economic sustainability and health-promoting practices, agroecology presents itself as a point of integration of several knowledges: traditional, scientific, productive technical and economic-social. Moreover, in order to truly achieve sustainable agriculture, all aspects of food production, distribution and consumption need to be integrated, and consumers’ choices can be considered as an impact factor on the environment. This article aims to characterize consumers in three agroecological markets in the municipalities of Belo Horizonte, Santana do Riacho and Jaboticatubas, in Minas Gerais. A primary data survey was used, with 191 questionnaires applied in three agroecological neighborhood markets. The statistical analysis used was cluster analysis; 2 clusters were identified: a) “Consumers Closer to Agroecological Knowledge”; and b) “Sustainable Consumers and Less Close to Agroecological Knowledge”. These analyses allowed to identify the real perceptions of consumers regarding agroecological markets and to define assertively the limitations of the locations, in addition to showing which strategies are the most appropriate to simultaneously meet the needs of consumers and stimulate the sale of products, thus ensuring the financial viability of farmers.