Program of Brazil-FAO International Cooperation
MDA/Tamires Kopp

Implementation of a Model for Public Procurement within Rural Family Farming for School Feeding Programs

Latin America is promoting measures aimed at reducing hunger and malnutrition; however, the complexity of this issue affects progress and achievements. For this reason, countries of the region have launched various initiatives to develop programs focused on improving the food and nutritional security of the population, based on a dynamic exchange of successful experiences through South- South Cooperation. Examples of such programs are the national initiatives of strengthening the School Feeding Programs and their connection with family farming.

Strengthening the School Feeding Programs and supporting the local socio-economic development, through local procurement from family farms is an opportunity to offer the farmers a market (of school food programs) and to offer the students of the schools a variety of healthy, fresh food that respects the local food culture.

For this to be possible it requires multi-sectoral participation in which public policies and different sectors are coordinated, from both governmental and civil society organizations

The Project

In this context, the project "Implementation of a Model for Public Procurement within Rural Family Farming for School Feeding Programs (TCP/RLA/3406)," aims to boost the mechanisms, together with the governments, for the direct public purchases of products from family farming to the markets of school food programs. The pilot program was being carried out in El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Paraguay.

The institutional support was centered on coordinating local purchases. This demonstrates the need to advance in the creation of legal/ regulatory frameworks to strengthen those currently in place, which will regulate such agreements and strengthen the capacities of public institutions in order to create markets and foster integration of family farmers in this system.

This project made an important contribution to further strengthen two other projects of the Brazil-FAO Cooperation. One project, (GCP/RLA/180/BRA), promotes the strengthening of the school feeding programs while the other; (GCP/RLA/160/BRA), without hunger Latin American and Caribbean Iniciative.