The objective was to deepen knowledge of innovations and exchange experiences with the aim of strengthening the Dominican school feeding policy.
Paulo Beraldo y Palova Brito
Brasília, Brazil, May 31, 2023 – A delegation of multidisciplinary professionals from the Dominican Republic participated in an international technical mission in Brazil from May 22 to 30 to learn about the implementation of the Brazilian school feeding policy and exchange experiences with other Latin American countries. The group consisted of members from the FAO in the country, the National Institute of Student Welfare (INABIE), the Supérate Program, and the Ministries of Agriculture and Health.
The group was part of a mission composed of 11 other countries that participated in the 2nd International School Feeding Congress and the meeting of the Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES) in Brasília, Brazil. The Dominican Republic is one of the 21 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean that are part of RAES, an international cooperation initiative created by the Brazilian government and supported by FAO to strengthen school feeding policies in the region.
The mission was organized by the National Fund for Educational Development of the Ministry of Education (FNDE/MEC), together with the Brazilian Cooperation Agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (ABC/MRE) and FAO, under the school feeding project of the Brazil-FAO International Cooperation Programme. The participation of the Dominican delegation was carried out within the framework of the ‘Healthy School Environment project through innovative strategies for strengthening the School Feeding Program (PAE)’, an alliance between INABIE and FAO in the Dominican Republic.
At the School Feeding Congress, Ana Carolina Báez and Mariella Ortega, Director of Nutritional Formulation and Evaluation at INABIE and a food security expert from FAO’s office in the Dominican Republic, respectively, presented the initiative developed in nutrition education linked to school feeding in the country, which benefits 1.8 million students by providing adequate and healthy meals. Among the actions, initiatives such as appropriate menus and the promotion of healthier eating habits, including the reduction of sugar, fat, and salt, were highlighted.
Regarding the mission, Baez evaluated that the exchange in Brazil was of great importance “because it helps in the training of our technical staff. There are many interesting innovations. These learnings we gained through the exchange have allowed us to support decision-making,” she said. “The Brazil-FAO Cooperation has been working with us for a long time, sharing their knowledge, technical assistance, workshops, visits, and exchanges,” she added.because it helps in the training of our technical staff. There are many interesting innovations. These learnings we gained through the exchange have allowed us to support decision-making,” she said. “The Brazil-FAO Cooperation has been working with us for a long time, sharing their knowledge, technical assistance, workshops, visits, and exchanges,” she added.
For FAO expert Mariella Ortega, cooperation and coordination among different actors to operationalize the school feeding programme in Brazil was the most remarkable aspect of the mission.“The mission was very significant, especially due to the transfer of knowledge that will enable an articulated application to strengthen school feeding and family farming in our country, which is essential for the health and well-being of students,” she said.
The Dominican delegation also participated in seminars promoted by RAES, visited a rural school and an association of family farmers participating in the Brazilian public procurement programme in Brasília, including purchases for the school feeding programme, where local managers and technicians were able to engage in dialogue. Miriam Guzmán, Deputy Minister of Rural Development at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic, valued the opportunity to build experiences with “those who are leading the process.”“It is not about copying from Brazil, as we have different countries and realities, but it is about learning from them, listening to their successes and challenges because Brazil has a bit of everything to achieve the level it is at. Being able to stand on their shoulders and look forward and into the future is very important to us”.
In the state of Rio de Janeiro, the Dominican delegation visited a school to learn about the provision of school meals in the city of Niterói, which has a population of approximately 500,000. Additionally, the group also visited a cooperative of rural producers who supply products for school meals, located in Guapimirim, in the mountainous region. The delegation also learned about the experience developed by the Collaborating Center for Food and Nutrition (Cecane) at the Federal Fluminense University (UFF).
The Director of Nutrition at the Ministry of Health, Patricia Grullón, assessed: “Learning about experiences in a specific topic like this contributes to the Dominican Republic because it gives us the opportunity to identify how the development process of the school feeding policy has been. The Brazilian programme has been evolving positively for almost seven decades, has universal coverage, efficient innovations, and its quality is truly impressive. These experiences serve to see what improvement opportunities Brazil has already achieved and which are still challenges for us.””.
Anthony Franco, from the Supérate Social Program, was impressed with the public policy of strengthening family farming in Brazil and its connection with the national school feeding programme. In Brazil, since 2009, it has been established by law that at least 30% of the products for school meals should be purchased from family farming. “The school feeding program is a great opportunity to link all family farmers so that, through public procurement, they can provide food to schools, reduce their losses and improve their income,” he stated.
“The mission has been very significant for the commission, made up of the Ministries of Education (INABIE), Agriculture (Rural Development), Public Health, Supérate; especially for the transfer of knowledge that will allow them to apply in their work spaces in an articulated way to strengthen School Feeding, Family Farming, essential for the health and well-being of students in our country.”, expressed Mariella Ortega.
Najla Veloso, Regional Coordinator of the project Consolidation of School Feeding Programmes in Latin America and the Caribbean, carried out under the Brazil-FAO International Cooperation, highly praised the mission promoted by RAES: “With RAES, we have consolidated a space for dialogue and reflection on the challenges and opportunities related to school feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean. Within the scope of RAES, it is possible to exchange ideas, discuss, and present strategies and solutions that can contribute to the decision-making of countries in favor of healthy and sustainable food in schools in our region.””.
