Lilitations and potentials of the school food program in the three municipalities in West Paraná

Abstract

This article aims to analyze the potentialities and limitations identified in relation to the purchase of foodstuffs from family farming for school meals by the subjects involved in school meals in three municipalities in Western Paraná, through a multiple case study, using in-depth interviews individual and carrying out a collective focus group with 42 subjects (family farmers and nutritionists) during the years 2022 and 2023, gathering the results in a SWOT matrix. As results, it is evident that the potential internal and external factors, for the subjects, are related to union, diversity of production, appreciation of family farming, more natural quality foods, contribution to the health of schoolchildren, quality of life, encouragement of sustainability, income diversity, job creation and property innovation. As internal and external limitations, the lack of ATER and farmers' cooperation and adaptation, cost of adapting legislation and bureaucracy, climatic conditions, pests, difficulties in irrigation, high input prices, lack of labor and rural exodus.