INTRODUCTION:
this study analyzes floema extension actions by EWB-Natal, a university-based incubator, integrating agroecology, nutrition, and social technologies in the brazilian semi-arid region, Brazil. it examines how fragile public policies, extreme climate events, and territorial inequalities challenge food sovereignty, health, and sustainability among family farming communities. family farming produces most basic foods in Brazil yet remains highly vulnerable to climate change and territorial inequalities, making the construction of sustainable agrifood systems through social technologies essentialˆ1.

METHODS:
a qualitative approach based on popular engineering and education was adopted, including participatory socioeconomic, environmental, and nutritional diagnosis, workshops on agroecology and agroforestry systems, and an in-depth case study with the host family of the ud-saf. the family accesses income transfer and credit policies such as bolsa família and pronaf, which are fundamental for basic subsistence but insufficient to mitigate structural vulnerabilities aggravated by climate change.

RESULTS:
the diagnosis identified mild food insecurity characterized by reduced dietary variety, with prolonged droughts compromising continuous production of fresh foods and water availability, making families dependent on external inputs. the lack of continuous technical assistance policies and basic water infrastructure favors the replacement of traditional foods with ultra-processed foods due to lower cost and longer shelf life. this nutritional transition, combined with the distance to health units for managing chronic diseases identified in adults, demonstrates how the climate crisis and gaps in state assistance undermine rural health. the findings reveal that although income transfer and food insecurity policies exist, they do not mitigate structural vulnerabilities worsened by the climate crisis in the semi-arid region.

CONCLUSIONS:
public policies must act in an integrated manner, strengthening food and nutritional security while supporting agroecological practices. strategies such as agroforestry systems function as essential public health instruments by promoting productive autonomy and nutritional resilience in the face of climate emergencies.