Challenges to balance food demand and supply: analysis of PNAE execution in one semiarid region of Brazil

Abstract

This study intended to address the challenges faced by the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) to implement public purchases from family farming, as they understand their role in the transformation of local food systems. For this, we developed a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, located in the northeastern semiarid region, during the regional assessments done by the Collaborating Center for the School Feeding Program in 2018 and 2019. We analyzed the policy from the perspective of the social actors inserted at the ends of the supply and demand chain through the application of questionnaires and focus groups. There were 188 social actors from 45 municipalities taking part in our data gathering. We examined the meeting of supply and demand based on the performance of the policy in the state, and identified that: i) the percentage of purchases between 2011 and 2017 was, on average, 19.1%, demonstrating that, despite not meeting the recommended rate, the state has progressed its investments in this segment; ii) some limitations characterized the limited effectiveness of public purchases of family farming for schools: lack of federal actions to enhance the value of family farming, unfavorable conditions for local agricultural production, low performance of technical rural assistance, menus do not reflect the offer of family farming, difficulties in preparing and executing the public call and insufficient communication between social actors; iii) Action and decision-making, through street-level bureaucracy, depends on the discretion of the social actors. We believe that this study can collaborate in the understanding of structural problems that affect the implementation of the program and assist in the search for alternatives that are consistent with the current needs, aiming at the construction of sustainable food systems.

Food Purchase from Family Farming in Public Institutions in the Northeast of Brazil: A Tool to Reach Sustainable Development Goals

“…Nutritionists and others involved with school management play a key role in managing public food procurement in the school environment. In addition to price surveys in local markets to allow for fair participation of family farmers in the bidding process, the menus must also be planned to consider the local products available, as well as the production practices by the farmer, considering frequency and seasonality in view of the different dynamics among large, medium, and small supply centers [23]. The public notices also need to describe the specifications of the products as a preventative measure in food purchases to ensure proper hygienic-sanitary conditions, even to allow for impartial analysis of food samples that are part of one of the steps of the food procurement processes [54].…”

“…Studies have revealed that although family farming is a significant part in a number of agricultural establishments, it lacks in area of hectares (many are not even proprietors of their cultivation land), in structures, and incentives that allow their development and expansion as producers, and shows to be vulnerable in matters of soil and climate (such as the droughts in certain regions of the northeast, as RN), while, in contrast, large retail and corporate producers are strengthened [4,23,39]. In addition to political-administrative issues of the sectors involved, some products require sanitary and normative quality standards and criteria of specific verification that end up hindering the inclusion of those farmers in such a commercial sector [56].…”

“…However, there is still much to advance regarding the regulation of producers, their types, and modes of production inherent to the processes of food purchase, particularly regarding family farming. These occur not only due to technicaladministrative issues of the centers executing bidding processes but also spawn from the very specifications that rule the public policies that include family farmers, in addition to issues inherent to the form of organization and governmental investment towards that group [23]. It can be noted, thus, that the very existence of the law that ensures its spaces, per se, is not enough for the development and permanence of those policies, entailing the need to follow the issues involved with their work [24].…”

Fermentação ácido lática de sucos de frutas e vegetais por probióticos

“…O Brasil tem um programa de alimentação escolar que é referência no mundo, o Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE), que atende 40 milhões de crianças em todo o país (Chaves et al, 2020). A lei nº 11.947, de 16 de junho de 2009 determina a compra de no mínimo 30% do valor repassado de gêneros alimentícios diretamente da agricultura familiar local, do empreendedor familiar rural local ou de suas organizações (Amorim et al, 2020).…”

“…No entanto, nem todas as cidades conseguem atender essa quantidade mínima. Na região Nordeste, por exemplo, em média as compras são de 20% do total do valor repassado e a incapacidade de produção, distribuição e armazenamento do produtor rural são parte do problema (Chaves et al, 2020). A fermentação ácido lática pode ser uma ferramenta importante para a agricultura familiar para esta finalidade já que, mas não apenas, é um processo de preservação de alimentos.…”