Brasilia, August 7, 2020 - To expand the knowledge of professionals and public managers of the Caribbean on school feeding, the project Consolidation of School Feeding Programs in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) will launch the course Food and Nutrition Education for School Feeding Programs on August 11, at 4p.m. (AST/GMT/UTC - 4).

With the participation of representatives from the ministries of Education, Health, Social Security, Agriculture, among others, the training is promoted by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Brazilian Cooperation Agency of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (ABC/MRE), the National Fund for Education Development (FNDE) and the Caribbean Agro-Economic Society.

According to Najla Veloso, coordinator of the project Consolidation of School Feeding Programs in LAC, this course was developed by this trilateral south-south cooperation initiative specifically for Caribbean professionals, aiming at improving capacities in the area of development and implementation of school feeding programs in the sub-region, considering the pandemic context caused by COVID 19. Representatives from Barbados, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago will participate in this course.

Phase I of the course will last two months, through virtual sessions. During this period, it will be offered up to date readings on school feeding programs and food and nutrition education, presentations and discussions with experts and exchange of experiences and information among countries.

For phase II of the course, scheduled for next year, practical activities will be held in schools, in addition to a face-to-face meeting.

The course seeks to provide to Caribbean managers information and relevant skills for the application of effective principles and practices of food and nutrition education in the context of school feeding programs, as well as capacity development so that these programs may respond strategically to the multiple impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consolidation of SFP in the region

The main objective of the project Consolidation of School Feeding Programs in LAC is to strengthen and consolidate the school feeding programs in the region and promote changes in the dietary habits of the students through actions of food and nutrition education and the incorporation of fresh and healthy products in school meals, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).