Applications open for the course on development of sustainable school feeding programs
In its sixth edition, the course provided training to more than 1,700 participants, through the Program of Brazil- FAO International Cooperation
Santiago, Chile, 21 March, 2016 - Applications will be received until March 31st for the course on sustainable school feeding programs offered by the FAO and the Government of Brazil, and is open to public administrators, teachers, students, professionals and specialists in areas related to school feeding, food and nutritional security, agriculture, health, and education in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The course aims to promote joint reflection by participants regarding national policies, in order to strengthen the discussion on school feeding in the area of social development policies; based on the lessons learned from the School Feeding Program (PAE) in Brazil, and based on the elements for the sustainability of these programs, which have been constructed with the various countries of the region throughout recent years.
More than 1,700 people have participated in recent editions of the course (2011-2015). The sixth version of the course School Feeding: development of sustainable programs based on the experience in Brazil will be, for the first time, carried out completely online (with a tutor) and open to those interested in all countries of the region.
The course, which shall be imparted in Spanish, starts on April 25, 2016, with a total workload of 120 hours. Applications will be received solely and exclusively through the website: http://www.fao.org/alc/cursos/intranet_nucleo/auth/login. For more information, contact: [email protected].
There are 50 spots available and the cost of tuition is $ 215 USD. If there are at least two people from the same institution, a reduced tuition rate ($ 195 USD) applies. The course will be taught by the Center for Training in Public Policies of the FAO Regional Office.
The course School Feeding: development of sustainable programs based on the experience in Brazil, promoted by the project Strengthening School Feeding Programs of the Program of Brazil-FAO International Cooperation, is supported by the National Fund for Development in Education (FNDE) within the framework of FAO’s strategic objective of helping to eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition.
School Feeding Programs: Food as a human right
“School Feeding Programs are an important intervention of social protection and an effective application of the human right to adequate food. In addition, they are key components in guaranteeing access to food and for the process of food and nutritional education,” stated Najla Veloso, regional coordinator of the project Strengthening School Feeding Programs.
According to the coordinator, in the last few years, school feeding programs have been highlighted in the political agenda in the region. An example is the 2025 CELAC FNS Plan, which, in its Pillar 3, recommends the universalization of school feeding programs; promoting healthy food environments inside schools, incorporating food and nutritional education in the school curriculum in a cross-cutting manner, establishing healthy school menus and purchases from family farming.
The experience in Brazil
The National Program for School Feeding (PNAE) in Brazil, implemented by the National Fund for Development in Education (FNDE), has been operating for more than 50 years and attends to more than 42 million students. Its objectives range from providing food to food and nutritional education.