{"id":31585,"date":"2026-04-09T14:24:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-09T17:24:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/redraes.org\/exchange-cycle-promotes-knowledge-strengthening-for-school-feeding-professionals-in-the-region\/"},"modified":"2026-04-14T16:03:53","modified_gmt":"2026-04-14T19:03:53","slug":"exchange-cycle-promotes-knowledge-strengthening-for-school-feeding-professionals-in-the-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/redraes.org\/en\/exchange-cycle-promotes-knowledge-strengthening-for-school-feeding-professionals-in-the-region\/","title":{"rendered":"Exchange cycle promotes knowledge strengthening for school feeding professionals in the region"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The initiative is promoted by FAO, the Government of Brazil, and the member countries of the School Feeding Network (RAES), with registrations open until April 30.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paulo Beraldo and Palova Brito<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bras\u00edlia, Brazil, April 9, 2026 <\/strong>\u2013 With the aim of strengthening the capacities of technical teams and territorial stakeholders in school feeding programmes, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), and the National Fund for Educational Development (FNDE), within the framework of the School Feeding Network (RAES), launch the 2026 Exchange Cycle: School feeding to strengthen sustainable agrifood systems. This activity is only available in Spanish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Registrations will be open from April 13 to 30, 2026, through the website www.intercambiopae2026.org<\/a>, and are aimed at professionals from RAES member countries. The cycle is free of charge, the content will be in Spanish, and the activity will take place from May 11 to June 19. The first webinar of the exchange will be held on May 11 at 4:00 p.m. (Chile) and 5:00 p.m. (Brazil).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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RAES is a trilateral South-South cooperation initiative on school feeding, promoted by the Government of Brazil through ABC\/MRE and FNDE, together with member countries, with FAO serving as the executive secretariat. Currently, the Network is composed of 18 member countries: Belize, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, El Salvador, Ecuador, Honduras, Guatemala, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, and Uruguay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the 2026 Exchange Cycle, the aim is to strengthen knowledge to support the design, implementation, and improvement of school feeding programmes (SFP), linking them to local food systems and family farming. In addition, the activity promotes healthy, resilient, and culturally appropriate school environments across Latin America.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The strategic role of school feeding<\/strong>
<\/strong>Participants in the Exchange Cycle will have the opportunity to analyze the strategic role of school feeding within agrifood systems and food and nutrition security policies; discuss intersectoral governance and the regulatory frameworks needed in school feeding; identify public procurement mechanisms that facilitate the participation of family farming; and design proposals to improve SFPs applicable in each country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cycle is aimed at managers and technical staff linked to national and local SFPs, as well as professionals from ministries related to school feeding, such as Education, Agriculture, Health, Economy, Social Development, and Cooperation, among others. Local professionals involved in the implementation of the Sustainable Schools methodology, as well as others working on the topic in the countries, may also participate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Developed by RAES to strengthen the capacities of key SFP stakeholders in Latin America and the Caribbean, this is another activity under Brazil\u2013FAO South-South Cooperation. Since the beginning of Brazil\u2019s cooperation on school feeding in 2009, more than 41,000 professionals in the region have been trained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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