The Ministry of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger (MDS) and the Centre of Excellence against Hunger of the World Food Program (WFP) in Brazil, signed a memorandum of understanding to promote joint actions aiming to promote food security and fighting hunger in the country. The signing took place in Teresina, Piauí, during the 3rd meeting of the Task Force to develop the G20 Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty.
Among the actions foreseen in the memorandum are south-south cooperation initiatives, such as the sharing of information on good practices in combating hunger promoted by the Brazilian government, and the participation of managers and civil society on food and nutritional security programs within the international scope, health and nutrition, family farming and agroecological food production, promoting sustainable food systems, and social protection, also within the scope of the cooperation program developed by WFP in partnership with the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC).
“Brazil has a lot to offer in this area, as it has been successful in the fight against hunger in recent years, with broad government programs structured for this purpose. The country is supporting the WFP and Centre of Excellence capacity development program since 2013, and is now committed to sharing its experiences with other countries”, said the Minister of Social Development and Fight Against Hunger, Wellington Dias.
According to the minister, the agreement between Brazil and the WFP is an important step towards achieving the UN Agenda 2030, which aims to eradicate hunger and extreme poverty in the world. “Cooperation will help strengthen food and nutrition security programs around the world and contribute to building a fairer and more sustainable future for all. The agreement will be valid for four years, counting from the date of its signature, and may be renewed by consent of both parties”, he added.
For the Director of the WFP Centre of Excellence, Daniel Balaban, this document will further strengthen the cooperation agenda between Brazil and countries that seek to expand their policies and programs to combat hunger. “We believe that when governments and international organizations join forces for international cooperation, it is possible to directly impact people’s lives. We are already seeing significant progress in combating hunger in several countries around the world, and if we continue to accelerate these efforts with the help of Brazil through the MDS and its public policies, we will have more paths to achieving the eradication of hunger by 2030”.
The signing of the memorandum comes at an opportune time for G20 discussions on the topic of hunger. In Teresina, more than 40 international delegations meet to debate the themes of the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty, launched by Brazil’s presidency of the G20, and which aims to establish a practical mechanism for mobilizing financial resources and knowledge for the implementation and expansion of actions, policies and programs to combat hunger, reduce poverty and guarantee food and nutritional security.
Main points of the agreement:
- Exchange of experiences and good practices: Brazil will share its experiences in the fight against hunger and malnutrition with the beneficiary countries of the Centre of Excellence, through study visits, international events, training of managers and community leaders, and promotion of family farming.
- Strengthening family farming: The agreement will promote the use of family farming products in preparing school meals and in other food and nutritional security programs.
- Raising awareness of the importance of healthy eating: The agreement will raise awareness among government managers, community leaders and civil society in other countries about the importance of healthy eating, policies and programs that guarantee a structure in institutional markets.
- Organization of joint events: Brazil and the WFP will organize joint events, such as awards, seminars, courses and conferences, to promote the exchange of experiences and good practices.