Santiago, Chile, December 11, 2024 – The Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES) participated in a seminar on public procurement in Santiago, Chile, on December 9, 2024, as well as a meeting with the National Board of School Aid and Scholarships (JUNAEB) to present experiences in the development of local procurement for school feeding and other relevant topics for school feeding programmes in Chile and across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Chile is one of the 17 countries in the region that formally joined the RAES Network in 2024.
The National Director of JUNAEB, Camila Rubio, the National Director of the Agricultural Development Institute (INDAP), Santiago Rojas, the Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture (SUBPESCA), Rocío Parra, and the Nutrition Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Israel Ríos, alongside other representatives of public institutions, signed a commitment to promote local public procurement for school feeding.
This commitment focused on strengthening strategic alliances with small-scale producers, optimizing the nutritional quality of food, consolidating food security, and preserving the local and cultural relevance of school meal preparations. The initiative, part of the cooperation agreement between JUNAEB and FAO titled “Contribution to the Improvement of School Feeding in Chile”, took place within the framework of the “International Seminar Feeding the Future: Local Procurement for Healthy Schools”, supported by RAES.
During the event, a brief summary of actions implemented by the RAES Network across LAC was presented, highlighting its objectives, guidelines, principles, and best practices that have been developed over many years. These efforts reinforced the commitment of member countries to guarantee the human right to school feeding for all students in the region.
The seminar underscored the importance of family farming and artisanal fishing, emphasizing their positive impact on strengthening school feeding programmes. The event also facilitated the exchange of experiences with other Latin American countries, such as Peru and Costa Rica, whose representatives stressed the significance of driving local economies while maintaining quality standards and nutritional value in school meals.
JUNAEB’s National Director, Camila Rubio, highlighted that the signing of this agreement “represents a significant step toward more nutritious, sustainable school feeding that is deeply rooted in the realities of each region in our country. By strengthening public procurement from family farmers and artisanal fishers, we are contributing to the development of local economies while ensuring access to fresh, high-quality food. This comprehensive approach enables us to continue improving the school feeding programme, benefiting both students and the communities producing these essential foods.”
Miriam Oliveira, Regional Technical Assistant for the School Feeding Project of Brazil-FAO International Cooperation, stated that “one of RAES Network’s commitments is to promote the strengthening of procurement from family farming for school feeding programmes, encouraging the supply of fresh, healthy food while fostering social development and income generation for small-scale producers. We also aim to create synergies and spaces for dialogue among managers and technicians in the pursuit of continuous, universal, and high-quality school feeding for all students in the region.”
FAO Nutrition Officer Israel Ríos outlined the urgent challenges still faced today, noting that nearly 11% of children under the age of five experience stunted growth, and there is a progressive rise in overweight rates among preschool-aged children, which now exceeds 8%—a figure higher than the global prevalence. Among school-aged children in the region, the prevalence of overweight ranges between 20% and 40%. Ríos emphasized that “school feeding programmes constitute a powerful tool to combat hunger and malnutrition. It is increasingly essential to advance toward a school feeding policy that fosters healthy habits and promotes sustainable school feeding models.”
Coordinated Efforts
INDAP National Director Santiago Rojas stressed that the public procurement program has been a significant advance for the producers served by INDAP. “We have seen growth compared to last year, as purchases from JUNAEB’s concessionaires have increased for farmers. We have invested in commercial managers, various types of credit, and all of our institution’s tools to strengthen public procurement, ensuring that the production of Family and Indigenous Farming reaches the tables of more children and young people every year.”
Recognizing the importance of coordinated efforts across sectors, the Undersecretary of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Rocío Parra, remarked, “We need an efficient, coordinated food governance system that promotes cooperation and collaboration among all stakeholders. Every link in the productive chain is essential, from extraction and production to marketing and consumption. We reaffirm our commitment to the sustainable development of the sector and believe in the importance of agreements and strategies that allow for medium- and long-term projections. We are convinced that working together for a robust food system should focus not only on feeding our population but also on respecting and protecting biodiversity and natural resources.”
