Logo Raes__Es
fao
Youtube
Twitter
Search
Close this search box.

Get to know the RAES activities in 2023

The Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES), implemented by the Brazil-FAO International Cooperation, through the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC/MRE), the National Fund for Educational Development (FNDE/MEC), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), planned and executed various activities together with countries, with the main objective of supporting countries and institutions in the region that work to promote the provision of healthy and adequate food for all students, within the framework of the human right to adequate food at school.

Since the creation of RAES in 2018, 26 countries have participated in activities and achieved results, based on three main strategies adopted:

  • Development of capacities/professional training for the sustainability of actions in countries;
  • Promotion of exchange of experiences and dialogues to strengthen programmes;
  • Dissemination of information and knowledge to support managers and technicians in the implementation of programmes.

Axis I – Capacity-building

a) Professional Training

  • 25 professionals from 10 Caribbean countries had the opportunity to complete the course “School Feeding Programmes and Food and Nutrition Education”, which started in 2020 (before the pandemic), and take part in the second phase of the training. The activity was organized in the Dominican Republic from March 13th to 17th and promoted practical exercises and exchange of experiences among the participants. Participating countries: Brazil, Belize, Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Dominican Republic.
    Main outcomes: Qualified technicians to support the management of school feeding programmes in Caribbean countries, especially introducing the food and nutrition education component in the context of this sub-region.

  • 42 professionals from 10 countries participated in the capacity-building activity for tutors of the teacher training from April 11 to 13 in Panama. The goal was to better guide the educational processes in FNE (food and nutrition education) conducted in their respective countries.
    Participating countries included Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and the Dominican Republic.
    The main outcome was the collective development of a methodological reference for promoting the principle of school feeding as a human right to adequate food among teachers.

  • In the field of school feeding, 2,789 teachers from 8 countries received training to strengthen school feeding programmes (SFPs) in Latin America and the Caribbean. The training, conducted through semi-presential courses ranging from 40 to 100 hours, focused on implementing activities related to food and nutrition education. This teacher training initiative was recognized and awarded at the 2nd FAO Transforms Fair of inspiring experiences. Participating countries were Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, and the Dominican Republic.
    The main outcome included the collaborative efforts of cooperation, national governments, FAO national workshops, universities, and hired tutors to involve teachers in dialogues on FNE. It also led to increased awareness and qualification of professionals on the topic, as well as the strengthening of teachers’ capacities for practical FNE interventions with a multiplier effect in the school community.

  • Approximately 8,900 teaching and technical professionals from 7 countries were trained between 2020 and 2023 in the course “School Feeding as an Educational Strategy for a Healthy Life” through 4 virtual editions. Participating countries were Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, and the Dominican Republic.
    The main innovation and result were the creation of educational materials, written content, videos, and audios featuring experts from various countries, all compiled into a course exceeding 240 hours, fostering knowledge construction in diverse areas and components of school feeding.


  • In another initiative, 500 Brazilian school feeding technicians and managers participated in the course “FNE in schools: school feeding as an educational strategy for a healthy life,” translated and adapted from the original Spanish version. The course, offered virtually in October 2023 on the RAES platform in Portuguese, facilitated direct dialogues with regional experts, encouraging the exchange of experiences and the generation of new knowledge.
    The primary outcome was that Brazilian professionals gained access to dialogues with various experts from the region, engaging in reflections on SFPs. They were able to exchange experiences and generate new knowledge through these interactions.  

B) Implementation of Sustainable Schools

  • Regarding the implementation of Sustainable Schools, the methodology was initiated in St. Kitts and Nevis in the Caribbean, with the support of a consultant and 5 consultancy support meetings by the Brazil-FAO Cooperation.
    Key results included the involvement of various government sectors in the dialogue, the formation of an intersectoral technical committee, a diagnostic assessment of the country’s school feeding situation, and the joint development of a work plan for 2024.

 Axis II – Experience exchange

  • Over 200 professionals participated in virtual dialogues promoted by RAES with the countries of the LAC region. The aim was to exchange experiences on specific topics, present best practices, expand discussions, and build knowledge on SFPs.
    The main innovation and result were low-cost virtual meetings that allowed for extensive dialogue and the qualification of government technicians for the strengthening and sustainability of SFPs even in situations of government changes.

  • A technical visit to Brazil was organized for representatives from 14 countries to learn about the implementation of the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE, by its acronym in Portuguese) in Brazilian public schools, with a focus on FNE and mechanisms for purchasing from family agriculture. The visit took place between May 24 and 25, with participating countries including Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela. 
    The main outcome was direct engagement of managers with local realities, promoting a more comprehensive, strategic, and intersectoral view of the school feeding policy and driving changes in regional programmes.

  • Representatives from the government of the Dominican Republic visited the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from May 29 to 30, to learn about the execution of the PNAE in Niterói, a Brazilian municipality. The visit also included insights into the actions of CECANE UFF.
    The main result was the capacity-building of the participants on the PNAE and expanding their knowledge and practices for implementing the programme in their country.

  • A regional exchange on “Best Practices in Food and Nutrition Education in Latin America” involved representatives from 10 countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, and Venezuela. The event was held from September 25 to 27 in Panama.  As main results, it allowed each country to showcase its course structure and highlight key findings, fostering the multiplier effect of good practices.

  • A technical mission on Sustainable Schools involved 13 countries visiting Peru to learn about the successful practices and procedures implemented in municipalities and departments of the country. The activity, held from August 14 to 17, included the involvement of the President of Peru, ministers related to the topic, the president of FNDE, and the international delegation.
    The main outcome was the strengthening of the Sustainable Schools methodology in the region through the dissemination of successful practices from Peru.

 Axis III – Dissemination of Knowledge and Information

 a) In-Person Events:

  • Over 380 professionals from 14 countries participated in the 2nd International School Feeding Congress from May 23 to 25 in Brasília, Brazil. Organized by FNDE with the support of Brazil-FAO International Cooperation, the congress presented significant evidence, data, and possibilities related to the practice of food and nutrition education in urban areas, with a focus on Brazilian traditional peoples. Experiences from other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean were shared. Participating countries: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela.
    Main outcome: Strengthening debates on the importance of FNE in implementing school feeding programmes and in the school environment.

  • The RAES Symposium at the XX Latin American Nutrition Congress – SLAN, titled “Sustainable School Feeding Network – Advances and Perspectives of SFPs in Latin America and the Caribbean.” Alongside the symposium, RAES had a booth showcasing its work in the region since 2018, visited by hundreds of nutrition professionals from various countries. The event took place from October 22 to 26 in Cuenca, Ecuador.
    Main outcome: Dissemination of RAES actions among nutrition professionals in the region.

  • Three representatives from the Brazil-FAO International Cooperation participated in the technical meeting “Social Protection Systems and Food and Nutritional Security: Implementation Challenges within the Food and Nutritional Security Plan of CELAC,” promoted by the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil was represented by Saulo Ceolin, from the General Coordination of Food and Nutritional Security, and by Paola Barbieri, from Trilateral South-South Cooperation with International Organizations. Najla Veloso, coordinator of the project Consolidation of School Feeding Programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean, also participated in the event. The professionals had the opportunity to emphasize the importance of international cooperation actions in school feeding in the LAC region and the RAES in the themes of food and nutritional security and school feeding. The event took place on November 9 and 10 in Santiago, Chile.
    Main result: Incorporation of RAES as a regional strategy supporting CELAC’s actions, in addition to highlighting the school feeding topic as one of the social protection and nutritional security systems among ministers and other high-level managers. 

  • More than 80 school feeding managers and technicians, along with national and international authorities, participated in the event “School Feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean: History and Perspectives.” It marked the conclusion of the project Consolidation of School Feeding Programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean, the 14 years of Brazil-FAO Cooperation in this field, and the newly approved agenda for 2024-2027. The event took place at the Chamber of Deputies Auditorium in Brasília, with the participation of authorities such as the President of the Parliamentary Front for Food Security and Nutrition Sovereignty and Combat against Hunger in Brazil, the President of FNDE, high-level managers from the 18 participating countries, as well as representatives from CARICOM and CELAC.
    Participating countries: Brazil, Belize, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Guyana, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
    Main outcomes: Broad dissemination of the results of 14 years of work in school feeding, spreading the new cycle of actions and generating high-level commitments in the Brazilian government within the framework of the Brazil-FAO Cooperation in school feeding.

The video summarizing 14 years of Brazil-FAO International Cooperation in school feeding was launched during the event. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_H2xUkLic4

b) Publications and Studies:

The Brazil-FAO Cooperation published important documents in different languages (Portuguese, Spanish, English, and French):

Marcos normativos para una alimentación escolar sostenible
https://www.fao.org/documents/card/es/c/cc6878es

c) Innovations and Technologies:

  • 11 episodes of the podcast series “Getting to Know Sustainable Schools” were recorded and widely disseminated. The series featured interviews in three languages with experts explaining the importance of the Sustainable Schools methodology, which has already benefited over 1.6 million students in the region. The series had 800 views by December 2023 and served as a new information strategy, offering the opportunity to develop and deepen professional skills on a large scale. The initiative was also awarded at the 2nd FAO Transforms Fair of inspiring experiences.
    Main outcome: Dissemination of the Sustainable Schools methodology to a wide audience in the region, facilitating its implementation.
    Link: https://open.spotify.com/show/71KvIeVLqc4asd9KSwQZ4f

  • The RAES platform has been implemented and fed by the project to provide constant updates on school feeding. It allows users from various countries in the LAC region to access agendas, publications, news, and good practices developed in the countries of the region. The RAES platform has a virtual library of publications with content in English, Spanish, and Portuguese (progressing towards French). The platform achieved the significant milestone of 100,000 accesses between April 2022 and December 2023.
    Main outcome: Quick and broad access to information about school feeding.

  • RAES received recognition at the 2nd FAO Transforms Fair. 

It was the only actions selected in South-South Cooperation for its three innovations:

  • The podcast series on Sustainable Schools.
  • Teacher training through an innovative and participatory methodology, reaching nearly 2,800 teachers in 8 countries.
  • The RAES platform, for its agility and information updates in three languages.
  • The new project cycle titled “Regional Agenda for Sustainable School Feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean – Project GCP/RLA/243/BRA” was initiated. The letter of intent was signed on November 14 during a ceremonial event at the Ministry of Education in Brasília. The ceremony included the first lady of Brazil, Janja Lula da Silva, the Minister of Education, Camilo Santana, the FAO representative in Brazil, Rafael Zavala,Luiza Lopes, in representation of ABC, and the President of FNDE, Fernanda Pacobahyba. Authorities from other ministries and entities were also present. 
    The new project aims to institutionalize the adherence of countries to the RAES network, collectively develop a regional agenda for school feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean, and provide technical support to countries in various components of FNE, especially in the formulation of their national policies.

Institutional

Join us

Address

Eixo Monumental,
Via S-1 INMET Campus –
Brasília/DF – Brasil
CEP: 70680-900

Contacts

An initiative of:

Learn about our alliances:

2.png
1.png

2022 © All rights reserved