National School Feeding Program Research Articles

SOME CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT SCHOOL MEALS IN ESPÍRITO SANTO

This article aims to analyze the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in the state of Espírito Santo from a geographical perspective. It provides a historical overview of programs aimed at family farming and fighting hunger in Brazil, highlighting the importance of issues that permeate food, such as globalization, hunger, and the land structure of Espírito Santo, as well as their consequent impact on food production in the state. The objective is to show how the Program is important for those who produce food (farmers) and for those who consume it (students in state public schools), and that it can still be improved.

Exploring value propositions and service innovation: the outsourcing of the National School Feeding Program

The National School Feeding Program, knowing as PNAE, is a public policy responsible for providing meals to students in Brazil. This program exists since 1940s and was created to combating child malnutrition. The program evolved over the years until the passing, on 16 June 2009, of Act 11,947, which establishes that at least 30% of food purchases for school meals must come from family farmers. In this context, there is a perception that outsourced management does not aim to encourage local agriculture, and consequently the use of fresh foods in school meals, which is recommended by Act 11,947. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to describe the forms of value co-creation in the PNAE outsourcing process in two cities that meet the requirements of Act 11,947. Then, a qualitative-descriptive study and abductive logic were chosen, using, as a strategy, a multiple-case study in the cities of Aracaju and Taubaté. The implementation of the PNAE by the municipality depends on the multiple influences and interventions, such as institutional values and relationships between stakeholders. Based on the understanding of this dynamic, the practices of the stakeholders involved in the management of the PNAE begin to organize a value proposition according to the students’ needs, promoting meaning and structure for its recipients. There are different ways to practice outsourcing in this program. So, these different possibilities make a study on this topic relevant, as it highlights that the positive results of outsourcing depend on the implementation of a well-planned project. Thus, use co-creation value, originally from Marketing Research, in public policy can bring new perspectives of analyses.

ESTUDOS SOBRE DESIGUALDADES EDUCACIONAIS NO BRASIL: UMA ANÁLISE SOBRE ALGUNS ESTUDOS DE DESIGUALDADES NA EDUCAÇÃO BÁSICA NO BRASIL

This article presents an analysis of selected studies on educational inequalities in Basic Education in Brazil, addressing the main dimensions of these inequalities, such as socioeconomic, regional, racial, gender factors, and access for people with disabilities. Through a literature review of renowned authors, this work discusses the causes and consequences of educational inequalities and suggests possible solutions to promote more equitable and inclusive education. Socioeconomic inequality is identified as a significant factor, affecting school performance and dropout rates among low-income students. Regional inequalities are also highlighted, emphasizing the disparities between the North and Northeast regions and the more developed Southeast and South regions. Racial analysis reveals ongoing discrimination that hinders black and indigenous students, while gender inequalities, though less pronounced in terms of access, still affect girls' educational and professional choices. Additionally, the inclusion of students with disabilities remains a challenge due to the lack of adequate infrastructure and specific teacher training. The exacerbated impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is addressed, highlighting the digital divide and the need for effective public policies. Programs such as Bolsa Família and the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) are cited as positive measures, although insufficient without equitable resource allocation. The analysis concludes that a multifaceted and inclusive approach is essential to address the various forms of inequality in Basic Education in Brazil, aiming to ensure that all students have access to quality education, regardless of their socioeconomic, regional, racial, gender, or disability status.

Are Socio-Economic Indicators Associated with Food Safety in Public Schools? A Study in Sergipe State, Brazil.

The Brazilian National School Feeding Programme aims to ensure food security and the right to food for public school students. To protect these fundamental rights, a comprehensive approach is needed that includes ensuring food safety. Recognising that low socio-economic conditions, inadequate food safety and child vulnerability can pose a cumulative burden on child development, this study examined food safety in public schools in Sergipe, Brazil, in the context of local socio-economic indicators. All state public schools in Sergipe (n = 314) were included. Food safety and socio-economic data were analysed using secondary sources and geographical maps. The cluster analysis identified two different groups of schools based on socio-economic indicators. While most schools presented regular foodborne illness risks, food production and temperature control had particularly high levels of non-compliance. Schools in areas with higher socio-economic indicators (Cluster 2) had better overall food safety scores (p < 0.001) compared to schools in areas with lower socio-economic indicators (Cluster 1). Cluster 1 schools also had a higher FBI risk when analysing temperature-controlled equipment violations (p = 0.001), food handlers (p = 0.005) and process and production (p = 0.004), which emerged as critical areas. These results emphasise the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve food safety in schools located in areas with lower socio-economic conditions.

Public Policies, Sustainable Purchases and Family Farming in Brazil – 2013 a 2023

Objectives: to characterize and analyze the public policies and sustainable purchases that contribute to reducing environmental impacts and promote the development of family farming. In order to address the general objective of the research, the following specific objectives were carried out: 1) Contextualize family farming in Brazil; 2) Present and analyze the following public policies focused on family farming: Low Carbon Agriculture - ABC Plan, National Program for Strengthening Family Farming - PRONAF, Food Acquisition Program - PAA and National School Feeding Program - PNAE and 3) discuss the process of sustainable bidding and family farming. Methodology and data sources: the methodology used to achieve the study's objectives was tabular and graphical analysis of secondary data. The data sources were collected from the Ministry of Agrarian Development and Family Farming (MDA), the Central Bank of Brazil (BCB) through the Rural Credit Matrix, the National Supply Company (CONAB), the National Fund for Educational Development (FNDE) and data from the National Secretariat for Rural Social and Productive Inclusion (SEISP) through the Secretariat for Evaluation, Information Management and Single Registry (SAGICAD) platform. In addition, exploratory research was carried out using a bibliographic survey to support the results found. The period of analysis was from 2013 to 2023. Results: It is important to consider that the public policies mentioned above contribute to aligning economic, social and environmental aspects. Based on the evidence obtained, the programs proved to be effective in their aim of supporting family farming. Therefore, in order to continue their actions, it is recommended that the main characteristics of their design be maintained, which have been fundamental to achieving their results and, above all, that resources for their actions be expanded and guaranteed.

Complex Governance Network Analysis Between Brazilian Public Policies

Objective: The objective of this article is to create a Complex Governance Network Analysis Framework between two public policies. To prove the predictions of this study, the Theoretical Framework proposed here was applied between the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) and the School Health Program (PSE) in two locations. Theoretical Framework: To discuss the objective of this article, the approaches of Complex Governance Network (Morçöl, 2023) and Individual and Social Learning (Habermas, 1984, 1987; Lankester, 2013; Maarleveld and Dangbenonpag, 1999) were used. Method: This research is of a qualitative-descriptive nature and abductive logic, using as a strategy a study of multiple embedded cases and collection of primary and secondary data. Results and Discussion: By proposing a complex governance network analysis framework between two public policies, this study made a theoretical contribution by adding more dimensions to this theoretical lens. The study of learning contributes to understanding the cognitive evolution of the population, including adult learning, a responsible individual active in public policies. Research Implications: As practical contributions, this research helps in monitoring and structuring strategies in public management. Because, by understanding the learning level of each public servant, it is possible to observe the creativity of each actor involved in solving problems. Originality/Value: The study of learning contributes to understanding the cognitive evolution of the population, including adult learning, a responsible individual active in public policies.

Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE): um modelo conceitual das barreiras à aquisição de alimentos da agricultura familiar

ABSTRACT: The National School Feeding Program (PNAE) is the oldest and most extensive food and nutrition program in Brazil. Art. 14 of Law 11.947 stipulate that at least 30% of its operational resources need be used to purchase family farming products. However, there are important barriers that hinder the application of this law. The present article developed a conceptual model that described and analyzed the barriers to this requirement. A systematic literature review identified twelve barriers, divided into three constructs political administrative infrastructure and human capital, which enables PNAE management to develop mitigation strategies, including a larger number of farmers in the program, thereby increasing its efficiency.

Benefits and Difficulties of Implementing Family-Farming Food Purchases in the Brazilian National School Feeding Program.

Objectives: To explore the opinions of Brazilian National School Feeding Program (NSFP) nutritionists concerning the benefits and difficulties of implementing family-farming food purchases for the school feeding program. Methods: Exploratory and descriptive qualitative study conducted through the analysis of inductive content of open interviews carried out with technically responsible nutritionists of the School Feeding Program of 21 municipalities in Southern Brazil. Results: The qualitative analysis of the interviews resulted in 17 codes grouped into four categories that show the opinion of nutritionists on the benefits and difficulties of purchasing family-farming food: 1. increasing the visibility of rural areas and 2. improving the quality of food provided in school meals; 3. low product availability and 4. limited infrastructure for production and delivery. Conclusion: According to nutritionists, purchasing family-farming food in NSFP can increase the supply of healthy food in schools and stimulate rural development. However, efforts are needed to adjust institutional food demands for local food production and improve infrastructure for food production and distribution.

Nutritional status of school children in South-west Nigeria: Inferences from a national homegrown school feeding programme.

The School Feeding Programme if properly executed has the capacity to improve the nutritional status of the school children. To assess the nutritional status of school children in Ondo State Nigeria given that the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) has been operational in the state for over five years. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study. A total of 234 subjects from public schools and 227 subjects from private schools were enrolled in the study. Their mean age was 8.23 ± 1.92 years. Wasting, overweight, obesity, underweight, and stunting were noted in 19.4%, 11.4%, 0.4%, 5.0%, and 20.7% of the children, respectively. The prevalence of stunting (30.3%) and wasting (23.9%) was more among subjects from the public schools. A significant association was found between Weight-for-Age Z-score, Height-for-Age Z-score, and BMI-for-Age Z-score and the children's school type (p < 0.005). Majority of the children showed normal growth, the rest were in both extremes of malnutrition, the subjects from private schools seem to present better nutritional status, although there is no baseline data to ratify this finding. A further study on this subject using the current finding as a baseline data is recommended.

Exploring food sovereignty among Amazonian peoples: Brazil's national school feeding programme in Oriximiná, Pará state

ABSTRACT We present an empirically-grounded exploration of food sovereignty among Brazilian Amazonian forest-proximate peoples, revealing five dimensions bound together by autonomy: family farming, women's work, agrobiodiversity, care for nature and a preference for own produced over industrial food. We examine the compatibility of this conceptualisation of Amazonian food sovereignty with Brazil’s National School Feeding Program (PNAE). We find that in supporting family farming and local food for children, the PNAE fosters food sovereignty, but inclusion remains uneven, shaped by unequal recognition and over-centralization. The PNAE could further the actualisation of Amazonian food sovereignty by more equal inclusion of different forest-proximate peoples.

Deserts, Swamps and Food Oases: Mapping around the Schools in Bahia, Brazil and Implications for Ensuring Food and Nutritional Security.

Deserts, swamps and food oases terms have been used to characterize the food environment according to the identified food availability. Food swamps are defined as neighborhoods with a predominance of food establishments selling ultra-processed foods compared to establishments selling healthy options. In contrast, food oases are areas with easy access to healthy and nutritious foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and other fresh foods. Food deserts describe densely populated urban areas where residents face difficulty obtaining healthy food. In this context, this work aimed to map deserts, swamps, and food oases around federal schools in Bahia, Brazil, emphasizing the importance of implementing the Brazilian National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in these schools, to guarantee food security and nutrition. An ecological study was carried out in all 35 federal schools in Bahia, Brazil, using an 800 m buffer analysis, with the school as the centroid. The geographic coordinates of schools and food establishments were initially obtained using Google Maps and later confirmed onsite. To evaluate food deserts and swamps, the methodology proposed by the CDC was used and the Modified Retail Food Environment Index (mRFEI) was calculated; when the result was equal to zero, the surrounding area was considered a food desert and values between 0.01 and 20 determined food swamps; for values above 20, the neighborhood was classified as mixed. Food oases were considered regions containing at least one supermarket within the analyzed buffer. Descriptive analyses were carried out with frequency measurements, measures of central tendency (mean and median) and dispersion (standard deviation). The food environment of schools was compared considering the number of students impacted, the area where the school was located (urban or rural) and the size of the municipalities. The average number of food establishments found was 22.39 (±13.03), with the highest averages for snack bars (7.33 ± 4.43), grocery stores (5.83 ± 4.09) and restaurants (2.94 ± 2.19). Food deserts and mixed environments were identified in 40% of the sample, while swamps represented 20% and oases 65%. An association was observed between food deserts and social vulnerability, making it necessary to emphasize the importance of adequate implementation of the PNAE in these schools to reduce food and nutritional insecurity, guaranteeing the human right to adequate and healthy food and providing better nutrition and health perspectives within the school environment and impact on students' lives through food and nutrition education actions, which are also part of the context of PNAE activities.

Healthy dietary patterns linked to Brazilian adolescents' school meal adherence.

This study aimed to verify the association between adherence to school meals provided by the National School Feeding Program and dietary patterns in adolescents from Brazilian public schools. Data from the 2019 National School Health Survey were used, with a nationally representative sample of Brazilian school adolescents (n=53,477; 13-17 years old). Food consumption of healthy and unhealthy food markers was obtained from a food consumption questionnaire. Regular consumption was considered ≥5 times/week. Latent class analysis was used to identify dietary patterns whose association with adherence to school meals was evaluated by multinomial logistic regression models, with adjustment for sociodemographic and eating behavior variables. Three dietary patterns were identified: "unhealthy" - higher consumption of soft drinks and sweets (9.2% of adolescents); "healthy" - higher consumption of beans, vegetables, and fruits (27.1%); and "monotonous" - higher consumption of beans (63.7%). High adherence to school meals (every day) and unsatisfactory adherence (1-4 times/week) were positively associated with the healthy pattern even after adjustment for possible potential confounders (OR 1.37, 95%CI 1.23-1.52; OR 1.20, 95%CI 1.10-1.30, respectively). The results showed that the consumption of school meals offered by the National School Feeding Program can contribute to healthy eating habits among Brazilian adolescents.

Preferences, motivations, professional activities and job satisfaction of nutritionists of the National School Feeding Program of the Federal Schools Network

Preferences, motivations, professional activities and job satisfaction of nutritionists of the National School Feeding Program of the Federal Schools Network

Challenges and Potentialities of Sustainability in the Institutional Food Market of Family Farming

Family farming is relevant for the generation of employment and income in the countryside. The objective of this study is to analyze the challenges and potentialities in the socioeconomic dynamics of agriculture through the institutional food market in the area of operation of a family farming cooperative. A qualitative case study was carried out in the north of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, through eighteen in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method, considering five categories: economic, social, environmental, food security, and family succession. The results indicate that labor shortage and excessive bureaucracy are constant challenges. Furthermore, effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of information, and lack of succession are among the main challenges of the institutional market from the perspective of the social agents participating in the research. On the other hand, the institutional commercialization channel, via the National School Feeding Program, is a consolidated public policy in the region, and one of the greatest benefits identified was the increase in the income of the cooperative members. Among the main potentialities of the institutional market from the agents’ point of view are income guarantee, institutional relations, support from cooperatives and technical assistance and rural extension, women’s involvement, and productive diversification. The results can support the implementation and strengthening of similar programs in other countries.

National School Feeding Program (PNAE): A Public Policy That Promotes a Learning Framework and a More Sustainable Food System in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.

Food systems drive change, which can accelerate the process of ending hunger, improving diets and protecting the environment. This is the attribution given to the Brazilian National School Feeding Program (Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar-PNAE), which was created to supply 15% of the food needs of millions of children in Brazilian schools. Therefore, the purpose of this article was to create a framework to analyze learnings in the PNAE that contribute to the development of a sustainable food system in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. For this, a qualitative descriptive survey with abductive logic was chosen through a study of multiple cases and semistructured interviews as its strategy. It was noticed that individuals tended to group themselves in accordance with their learning level. A group in which instrumental learning was prevailing would tend to strictly follow the rules. Groups that already had communicative learning would be more proactive and look for improvements. However, when they would reach emancipatory learning, they would become more willing to disrupt initiatives to create new perspectives to solve problems. From that, decisions became political, and the more organized the groups became, the more power they had to allow their ideas to prevail.

Food quality perceptions and agreements: Case of local purchases from family farmers for school feeding program in the Federal District of Brazil

The perceptions of economic actors suggest different conventions of quality that influence the coordination of economic activities. Therefore, we analyzed how perceptions of quality, shared by different school feeding actors, shape or maintain economic coordination norms in the case of local purchases from family farmers for the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in a large urban center in the Federal District (DF) of Brazil. Considering the theory of conventions and using the Iramuteq software, the contents of 35 interviews with public education actors, family farmers, and rural extension technicians were analyzed. The results revealed that local purchases in the DF promoted food democracy, reconciling several coordinating worlds that maintained and shaped the quality standards of the PNAE. Producers and consumers shared some common conventions; however, conflicts existed between industrial and domestic conventions in particular. It was concluded that besides enabling an inclusion of the local family agriculture in the market, this format provides superior food quality to students, contributing to shape the market with better food quality. Furthermore, this study advances the understanding of the perceptions of the actors in the different links of this chain and provides subsidies for the program to get closer to its goals of providing high food quality to students. In addition, the study aims to boost family farming and promote local development.

Family Farming Cooperatives and Associations and the Institutional Market Created by the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in Minas Gerais, Brazil

The objective of this work is to analyze the trajectory and role assumed by the collective organizations of family agriculture, Cooperatives and Associations, in the construction and supply of food for the institutional market built from the National School Feeding Program (PNAE) in the five most important municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais/Brazil. This approach is justified by the need to remedy theoretical gaps in the insertion of cooperatives, which serve as instruments to guarantee food and nutrition security and also as a crucial actor in the construction of food markets. For this, it is necessary to investigate how these organizations were constituted, how they are organized, which actors are involved, and what their role is in the implementation of the public food purchase policy. Methodologically, it is a multiple case study, with a qualitative approach and descriptive character. For data collection, semi-structured interviews were applied in the five most populous municipalities in Minas Gerais, based on two scripts aimed at representatives of family farming organizations and members of the Public Administration who work directly with the management of the PNAE. The research results corroborate the recommendation that the Brazilian State should support the collective organization of farmers and strengthen the promotion of associativism and cooperativism in family farming, providing instruments for the development of social and economic organizations as well as expanding and strengthening government food purchase programs, since they help boost social capital in the countryside and generate income for family farmers.

An appraisal of the implementation of the national school feeding programme and its effect on enrolment and attendance in public primary schools in Southeast, Nigeria: perception of heads of schools

IntroductionThe National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) was re-launched in Nigeria in 2016, eleven years after it was first introduced in the country, with Enugu as one of the beneficiary States. The objectives of the programme are to improve the health of school children and aid in the realization of Universal Basic Education (UBE) goals. This study explored the opinions of heads of public primary schools on the implementation and policy benefits of NHGSFP in Enugu, southeast Nigeria.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study conducted among 24 headmasters and headmistresses purposively selected from public primary schools in the Enugu metropolis. Qualitative data were collected through the use of a pretested Key Informant Interview (KII) guide, and analyzed using a thematic approach.ResultsAll the participants were aware of the NHGSFP, which involved the provision of one mid-day meal per child per school day to the pupils, and all their schools were part of the programme. Most of the participants complained about the nutritional quality and quantity of the school meals which they felt were poor. None of the schools had a kitchen within the school premises, and all the participants admitted that deworming was not regularly carried out, as part of the programme. Most of the participants believed that the objectives of the feeding programme, including, reduced hunger among learners, increased school enrolment, attendance and enhanced participatory learning, were being met.ConclusionAlthough the NHGSFP was implemented in every school in Enugu metropolis, Enugu State, Nigeria, regular deworming of pupils was not carried out, and there were concerns about certain aspects of the implementation, such as inadequate funding and poor quality of school meals. Thus, there is a need for the introduction of deworming and more allocation of funds to the programme to improve the quantity and nutritional quality of school meals.

Characterization and analysis of the supply network of the Brazilian national school feeding programme

IMPACT The Brazilian national school feeding programme (PNAE) is a tested model providing food security. The federal government designed it, but municipal and state governments deliver it. This article provides information on PNAE suppliers. It shows that it is possible to promote food security together with the local economy. However, a concern is that local managers sometimes find it easier to procure from just one or a few large, specialized companies. The authors explain how this problem can be dealt with.

English

The study was aimed at investigating practice relating to use of cooking salt in school meal preparation and quality control practices among Food Vendors (FVs) engaged in National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) in public primary schools located in Oyo and Ogun States, Southwest Nigeria. An exploratory qualitative study was conducted among 40 selected FVs engaged in NHGSFP in the two States. Data were collected using a pretested Key Informant Interview guide. Interviews were subjected to thematic content analysis. Findings reveal that several FVs usually used packaged cooking salt, while some preferred unpackaged cooking salt sold in open plastic containers. The use of salt combined with other forms of food seasonings including bouillon cubes was a common practice among FVs. Practices they often employed to determine quantity of salt included &lsquo;gradual adding of salt to taste&rsquo;, use of bare-hands to add salt and &lsquo;use of visual measure to gauge the added salt&rsquo;. Some FVs usually salvaged meals containing excessive salt, especially rice by adding water and sieving it afterwards. An appropriate nutrition education intervention, which encourages use of packaged dietary salt by FVs as well as graduated measuring spoon to quantify the amount of salt added to school meals is suggested. &nbsp; Key words: Food vendors; school meals; national home-grown school feeding programme; use of cooking salt control, use of condiments; Southwest Nigeria.&nbsp