In 2023, numerous actions were carried out within the framework of the Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES), implemented by the Brazil-FAO International Cooperation through the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC/MRE), the National Fund for the Development of Education (FNDE/MEC), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The activities were integrated with countries and institutions in the region working together to promote healthy and adequate school nutrition for all students. Since the creation of RAES in 2018, 26 countries have already participated in its initiatives.
Teacher training – actions in 11 countries
Throughout the year, training and support for the formation of tutors in food and nutritional education (EAN) and other strategic actions took place in Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and the Dominican Republic. This tutor training initiative was recognized and awarded at the 2nd FAO Transforma Fair for inspiring experiences.
Launch of the Sustainable Schools podcast series.
The series includes 11 episodes with interviews with experts who explain the importance of the Sustainable Schools methodology, which has already reached 1.6 million students in the region. The series has been viewed 800 times by December 2023 and is a new information strategy that offers the opportunity to develop and deepen professional skills. This initiative was an additional tool to the various training courses offered and was also awarded at the 2nd FAO Transforms Fair of Inspiring Experiences.
Publications
In the year 2023, the Brazil-FAO International Cooperation published important documents in various languages.
- Marcos normativos para una alimentación escolar sostenible
https://www.fao.org/documents/card/es/c/cc6878es - Legal frameworks for sustainable school feeding
https://www.fao.org/3/cc6878es/cc6878es.pdf - Escuelas Sostenibles – Orientaciones conceptuales y metodológicas
https://www.fao.org/documents/card/es/c/cc7219es - O estado situacional das Escolas Sustentáveis
https://redraes.org/o-estado-situacional-das-escolas-sustentaveis-2021_-sumario-executivo/ - L’état actuel des écoles durables
https://www.fao.org/3/cc0679fr/cc0679fr.pdf - Situational state of Sustainable Schools
https://www.fao.org/3/cc0679en/cc0679en.pdf - El estado situacional de las Escuelas Sostenibles
https://www.fao.org/3/cc0679es/cc0679es.pdf
Technical missions
- Dominican Republic: Training for Caribbean professionals in food and nutrition education (FNE) – 13-17 March. Participation of: Brazil, Belize, Bahamas, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago.
- Panama 1 – Training of Tutors in Food and Nutrition Education (FNE) – 11-13 April. Participants from: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Dominican Republic.
- Brazil, Brasília – II International Congress on the EC and the Mission of the RAES – 22-26 May. Participation of: Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, Nicaragua and Panama. More than 350 nutrition and education professionals from Brazil and Latin American countries took part and discussed the importance of the FNE and its implementation on school feeding programmes.
- Panama 2 – Best practices in food and nutrition education (FNE) in Latin America – 25-27 September. Participation of: Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.
- Brazil, Rio de Janeiro – Mission of the Dominican Republic to meet the PNAE in RJ and the actions of CECANE UFF – 29-30 May.
- Peru – Sustainable Schools Mission, from 14 to 17 August. Participation of: Brazil, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Support for the Implementation of Sustainable Schools in Saint Kitts and Nevis
Meetings were held to support the consultancy for the implementation of the Sustainable Schools methodology in Saint Kitts and Nevis. In 2023, the Brazil-FAO Cooperation supported the conduct of a diagnosis on the school feeding situation in the country to analyze the necessary strategies for implementing the Sustainable Schools methodology in the year 2024.
Development and adaptation to Portuguese of the ‘Healthy Life’ Course – 500
Approximately 8,942 professionals from Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, and the Dominican Republic were trained between 2020 and 2022 with the course “School Feeding as an educational strategy for a healthy life,” which had three virtual editions. In 2023, due to its international success, the course was adapted with the support of FNDE and the school feeding project of the Brazil-FAO Cooperation for professionals from the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in Brazil. The course was conducted virtually during the month of October and was offered to 500 technicians and managers of school feeding.
Latin American Nutrition Congress – SLAN
The RAES participated in the XX Latin American Nutrition Congress – SLAN, the main nutrition congress in the region, with a booth to showcase the work it has been carrying out in the region since 2018 and with a symposium titled ‘Sustainable School Feeding Network: Advances and Perspectives in Latin America and the Caribbean.’ The SLAN took place from October 22 to 26 in Cuenca, Ecuador.
CELAC event
The regional office of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for Latin America and the Caribbean organized the technical meeting ‘Social Protection Systems and Food and Nutritional Security: Implementation Challenges within the framework of the CELAC SAN Plan.’ The event took place on November 9th.
The objective of the meeting was to facilitate consultations and promote technical dialogue to strengthen the pillars and lines of action for the updating of the Food Security, Nutrition and Hunger Eradication Plan of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC). This is in line with what was established in the Presidential Declaration of Buenos Aires in January 2023.
The meeting had the participation of ABC, represented by Paola Barbieri, of the General Coordination of Food and Nutritional Security of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, represented by Saulo Ceolin, and Najla Veloso, coordinator of the school feeding project of the Brazil-FAO Cooperation. They emphasized the importance of international cooperation actions and the Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES).
Closing Event of the Project
The event “School Feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean: Trajectory and Perspectives” marked the conclusion of the project “Consolidation of School Feeding Programs in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
The event, held at the National Congress in Brasilia, included the participation of professionals from 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, as well as representatives from CARICOM and CELAC.
During the occasion, the video of the 14 years of Brazil-FAO international cooperation in school feeding was released, providing an overview of all the work undertaken since 2009 through the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_H2xUkLic4
Changes to the RAES platform
- Changes to the overall design of the website to improve the user experience.
- Between April 2022 and December 2023, the platform will have 100,000 visits.
- Content available in Spanish, English and Portuguese. Progress is being made on French content.
- Space is provided for countries to share their good experiences, for guests to join the RAES and receive all updates and events.
- Virtual courses and training are available.
- Almost daily updates of news, interviews and articles.
- Publication of events and publications.
New cycle: regional agenda
The new cycle of International Cooperation Brazil-FAO in school feeding, spanning from 2024 to 2027, was signed on November 14 during a ceremonial event at the Ministry of Education headquarters, with the presence of the First Lady of Brazil, Janja Lula da Silva, and the Minister of Education, Camilo Santana.
The project “Regional Agenda for Sustainable School Feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean,” through RAES and in collaboration with the participating countries, aims to build a regional school feeding agenda that highlights relevant themes, concepts, strategies, methodologies, and initiatives in line with the reality of the LAC region, as well as the specific demands of each participating country. This agenda will enable countries to engage in dialogue and share solutions and innovations for school feeding programs.
