Brasília, Brazil, September 18, 2024 – The Sustainable School Feeding Network (RAES) presented to professionals from FAO and the governments of 14 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean the proposal and concept of its upcoming activity, the analysis of indicators of advancements in school feeding programmes, which will be called AMPAE. This action will take place from September to December 2024 and will start in five countries in the region. Other countries may participate starting in 2025.

The virtual meeting included representatives from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, Venezuela, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay.

RAES is an initiative executed under the Trilateral South-South Cooperation of the Government of Brazil with international organizations and is jointly developed by the National Fund for Educational Development (FNDE) and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), with the executive secretariat of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

Simultaneously with the formal process of countries’ adhesion, this analysis is one of the main actions of the RAES Network in the coming months aimed at initiating the definition of a regional agenda for school feeding.

In the mentioned meeting, the concept of the analysis, its background, the Brazilian experience initially developed with 19 Brazilian states in the fiscal field, the goal of building an overview of school feeding with advancements and opportunities for improvement in each country, as well as the deadlines and methodology that will be adopted, were highlighted.

Among the general objectives of this analysis are: i) to provide input for the construction of a joint agenda for school feeding in the region; ii) to highlight indicators of progress and achievements of each country; iii) to present evidence on issues that require greater attention and new actions at the national and regional levels; and iv) to guide technical support activities by RAES.

The consultants Mariel Mendiola and Daniel Scandolara were also introduced as responsible for the direct implementation of the activity with the countries, for the preparation of the analysis and presentation of results in regional and national documents, with the support of the Brazil-FAO cooperation team in school feeding, the FAO focal points, and the countries. A proposal for an external committee for initial discussions and validation of the results presented was also introduced.

Najla Veloso, coordinator of the project Regional Agenda for Sustainable School Feeding in Latin America and the Caribbean, detailed that the analysis will allow for highlighting objective and transparent criteria for the international cooperation demands of the countries and the components of the SFP that require greater attention, according to the reality and respecting the sovereignty of each country. “With this study, countries will be able to identify challenges in executing their processes and identify opportunities for improvement. It is a new instrument for analysis and diagnosis to ensure a more detailed overview of the development processes of school feeding.”

Countries wishing to participate in the activity in 2024 must formally express their interest by September 25 via email at [email protected], copying [email protected] and [email protected].