Rome, Italy / Brasília, Brazil – 16 October 2025 – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) granted the Government of Brazil a special recognition during a ceremony held at the Organization’s headquarters in Rome on 15 October, as part of the World Food Forum and the celebrations of FAO’s 80th anniversary. 

The ceremony aimed to acknowledge best practices and innovative approaches from around the world that promote global food security, sustainable development, and the transformation of agrifood systems. 

Brazil was awarded in the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) category, recognizing partnerships that demonstrate excellence in implementing SSTC programs and fostering knowledge exchange, technical cooperation, and institutional leadership. The category highlights initiatives that strengthen outcomes in food security, capacity development, and innovation across different regions. 

The Director of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC/MRE), Ambassador Ruy Pereira, received the certificate of recognition from FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. 

For ABC/MRE, this distinction celebrates not only Brazil’s long-standing trajectory but also the strength and vitality of South-South and triangular cooperation, materialized through the program established jointly with FAO since 2008. 

The Agency, which coordinates the country’s international cooperation, received the award in recognition of Brazil’s innovative practices and technical leadership in promoting food security, sustainable development, and agrifood systems transformation for the benefit of Latin American and Caribbean countries. 

Together with FAO, ABC launched the world’s first trilateral South-South cooperation program, a pioneering model that not only complemented but also expanded traditional bilateral cooperation. 

For the past 17 years, FAO and the Brazilian Government, through ABC/MRE, have maintained a historic alliance in Latin America and the Caribbean under the Brazil–FAO International Cooperation Programme, which operates in key areas such as food and nutrition security, school feeding, family farming, sustainable rural development, land governance, and more recently, food supply and urban agrifood systems. 

Strategic partnerships

The Brazil–FAO International Cooperation Programme is supported by key Brazilian institutions coordinated by ABC, including the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming (MDA), the Ministry of Social Development and Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger (MDS), the National Fund for Education Development (FNDE), the National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform (INCRA), the National Supply Company (Conab), the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (Embrapa), the Paraíba State Company for Research, Rural Extension and Land Regularization (Empaer-PB), and the Brazilian Cotton Producers Association (Abrapa). 

In addition to ABC/MRE, Embrapa was also recognized by FAO for its technical contributions to various initiatives. One example is its support for strengthening sustainable production systems in the cotton value chain, with emphasis on seed variety development, pest control, and technologies focused on family farming. Under the +Cotton project, innovative equipment such as the one-row cotton harvester has been developed, enhancing efficiency and sustainability in production of cotton. 

Results

Among the key results achieved over 17 years of cooperation between FAO and Brazil are: 

• Training of 40,000 professionals in school feeding, directly benefiting 1.6 million students across more than 23,000 schools, using the Sustainable Schools methodology.
• Creation of the Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES), now comprising 18 member countries, fostering experience exchange and strengthening public policies in the region.
• Strengthening of diversified production systems through the +Cotton project, supported by over 100 partner institutions. The initiative has already benefited more than 14,000 families and 9,700 producers, expanding access to innovation and markets and improving community incomes.
• Progress in the modernization of cadastral and land information systems in Latin America and the Caribbean through the exchange of experiences and best practices in land governance and sustainable resource use.
• Strengthening of public policies for family farming under the Specialized Meeting on Family Farming (REAF MERCOSUR).
• Support for enhancing the resilience of Central American Dry Corridor countries to climate change through the introduction of innovations in production systems.

In 2025, two new initiatives reinforce this alliance — one focused on strengthening urban agrifood systems for vulnerable populations, and another on improving public food supply systems, further expanding the scope and impact of this cooperation.