Ambassador Ruy Pereira, from the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), points out that the new tool of the Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES) will support the consolidation of school feeding programs in the region
Paulo Beraldo
The trilingual virtual platform of the Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES, for its acronym in Spanish) consolidates the exchange of knowledge in Latin America and the Caribbean, constitutes a milestone in the cooperation work with the countries in school feeding and is a tool to help strengthen these policies in the region. This is the assessment of Ambassador Ruy Pereira, director of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency, a partner of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the National Fund for Educational Development (FNDE) in the management of the RAES Network.
“A platform available in several languages enhances the International Cooperation in school feeding and deepens the relations among the countries of the region in the search for appropriate solutions to common and specific challenges for the respective development processes of each nation”.
What is the importance of building and implementing this virtual platform of the Sustainable School Feeding Network for Brazil-FAO International Cooperation?
The association of Brazil with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in South-South Triangular Cooperation is now over 12 years old. School feeding has always been important and challenging. And even more so in the last two years of the pandemic, as it represents a concrete and effective alternative for the fight against hunger and poverty, as well as for the promotion of economic development and social inclusion.
In this alliance, the Brazilian Government has always offered the valuable and permanent contribution of the National Fund for Educational Development (FNDE), in the role of cooperating and financing institution. Therefore, for the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), this platform constitutes a new milestone in this joint work with the countries of our region and is of great importance, since it strengthens the connections developed in recent years. I trust that this platform will consolidate a rich and fruitful exchange of knowledge, with mutual benefits for all partners, constituting an important tool to support the consolidation of school feeding programs in our region.
How can RAES platform contribute to capacity building and exchange of knowledge in Latin America and the Caribbean?
This Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES) is a dynamic and a privileged locus to share experiences and develop training processes, since its launch in Buenos Aires, in 2018, with the participation of 17 countries in the region. For this reason, a platform available in several languages enhances International Cooperation in School Feeding and deepens relations among the countries of the region in the search for adequate solutions to the common and specific challenges for the respective development processes of each nation.
What are the next steps for Triangular South-South Cooperation on school feeding? Can we expect a formal commitment from the countries with the RAES?
The firm and concrete steps that the RAES has taken in these almost four years have driven the Brazil-FAO alliance towards a greater commitment to this important regional initiative in favor of school feeding, which also functions as an exchange model for other interested countries.
Very soon we want to materialize this collective commitment by signing a joint declaration, which we have already prepared and shared for the consideration of all countries, and which is based on the right to education and the right to healthy and adequate food.
