Abstract
ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE Identify the perception operating agents have on the Brazilian National School Feeding Program.METHODS This is an observational, cross-sectional and quali-quantitative study developed in non-probability and convenience sampling selected in an event promoted by the National Fund for Educational Development in 2015 in Rio de Janeiro. Data were collected through questions related to pre-defined categories concerning the National School Feeding Program. The questionnaire was answered by 43 nutritionists, 41 members of the School Feeding Board, and 16 school feeding administrators from 38 cities of Rio de Janeiro. The narrative analysis was based on benchmarks of cognitive analysis of public policies. The association among variables was investigated with chi-square test, being calculated the power for association testing.RESULTS The perception of the implementation of the National School Feeding Program has been characterized by some challenges: 1) low number of nutritionists to meet the demand from schools; 2) low adhesion to the public call for the purchase of family farming products due to bureaucratic difficulties and insufficient local food production; 3) reduced coverage of food and nutritional measures due to the restriction of human, material and financial resources; and 4) limitation of the participation of the School Feeding Board due to insufficient training and transport for regular visits. The adequacy of the number of nutritionists showed statistically significant association with the purchase of family farming products (p = 0.002; power = 99%) and with the food and nutritional education activities (p = 0.021; power = 79%).CONCLUSIONS The results indicate the need for employment of nutritionist in sufficient numbers to meet the demands of the National School Feeding Program, investment in educational activities of healthy eating in schools, training of the School Feeding Board, greater availability of vehicles for school visits and assistance to family farmers in order to facilitate their participation in programs of institutional purchases and encourage the diversification of production.
Highlights
The National School Feeding Program (PNAE) is one of the largest and oldest programs in the world and, in Brazil, is part of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy[1]
The perception of the implementation of the National School Feeding Program has been characterized by some challenges: 1) low number of nutritionists to meet the demand from schools; 2) low adhesion to the public call for the purchase of family farming products due to bureaucratic difficulties and insufficient local food production; 3) reduced coverage of food and nutritional measures due to the restriction of human, material and financial resources; and 4) limitation of the participation of the School Feeding Board due to insufficient training and transport for regular visits
The results indicate the need for employment of nutritionist in sufficient numbers to meet the demands of the National School Feeding Program, investment in educational activities of healthy eating in schools, training of the School Feeding Board, greater availability of vehicles for school visits and assistance to family farmers in order to facilitate their participation in programs of institutional purchases and encourage the diversification of production
Summary
The National School Feeding Program (PNAE) is one of the largest and oldest programs in the world and, in Brazil, is part of the Food and Nutrition Security Policy[1]. Since its implementation in 1955, the legal devices governing the program have presented technical and operational advances through reviews and upgrade[3,4,5] aiming to guarantee the human right to an adequate diet (DHAA). These changes involve the inclusion of a nutritionist as a responsible technician (RT), the social control of the implementation of the program by the School Feeding Board (CAE) and the purchase of family farming products, with an investment of at least 30% of the financial allocation made by the National Fund for Educational Development (FNDE)[3,6]. Several Brazilian cities have problems with its execution, such as the low percentage of purchases of family farming foodstuffs[7,8], failure to comply with the responsibilities of CAE as social control[9], the erroneous use by executing entities (EE) of financial allocations carried out by FNDE10, the planning of menus without considering the seasonality and diversity of regional food[11], and the insufficient number of nutritionists[12]
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