New publication on Ecuador’s law and regulations on school food and nutrition is available
In 2020, at the initiative of the Parliamentary Front Against Hunger of Ecuador, with the support of the Youth Parliamentary Front Against Hunger of Ecuador, and with FAO’s technical assistance, the Ecuador National Assembly adopted a Law on School Feeding (available in Spanish: Ley Orgánica de Alimentación Escolar), together with General Regulations.
The formulation of this law and regulations was possible thanks to the participation of multiple actors: children, parents, teachers, educational institutions, legislative and executive authorities, academia, civil society and international cooperation.
Under the rectorship of the National Education Authority, the law created the National Integral School Feeding System (in Spanish “Sistema Nacional Integral de la Alimentación Escolar” SNIAE). The aim of this System is to guarantee the right to adequate food and nutrition for school children and adolescents in the Ecuadorian National Education System, including the overall oversight, monitoring and evaluation of its implementation.
The effective implementation of the law will contribute to reducing and preventing malnutrition, strengthening the national education system, and boosting the local economy. It would also enable the promotion of key guiding principles such as the best interest of the child, non-discrimination, sustainability, gender equality, promotion of local agriculture and fair trade.
A summary of the Ecuadorian law and regulations on school food and nutrition has been jointly published by the Development Law Service (LEGN) and FAO Ecuador. The publication is an information tool for stakeholders involved in the implementation of the national School Feeding Program.