A Brazilian delegation participated in the 44th plenary session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) that took place in Rome from 9 to 13 October. The delegation comprised representatives of Brazilian governmental institutions from different sectors, such as social development, agriculture, health and food security.
Besides contributing to the discussions during the plenary session, Brazil joined the other Portuguese-speaking countries to discuss the creation of Working Group on Nutrition and Food Systems. The delegation also participated in side events to present the Brazilian school feeding experience and to discuss food and nutritional security governance, as well as in side meetings with WFP and FAO.
CFS
The CFS is an inclusive platform for the development of policy recommendations and guidance on topics affecting food security and nutrition. Representatives of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), the Brazilian National Council for Food and Nutrition Security (CONSEA), the National Fund for the Development of Education (FNDE), the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Social Development were in Rome to participate in the CFS, as well as the Brazilian ambassador for the Rome-based UN agencies. Christiani Buani, head of programme of the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger, accompanied the Brazilian delegation.
“Representing Brazil in an event such as this one is very important for the FNDE, since one of our main initiatives aims to ensure food security and nutrition to more than 40 million Brazilian students, through the National School Feeding Programme”, said Silvio Pinheiro, president of FNDE.
The Brazilian delegation had meetings with FAO and WFP to discuss cooperation in school feeding, health, and nutrition. The Brazilian experiences in school meals, in fighting the double burden of malnutrition – hunger and obesity -, and in involving multiple sectors in the food security and nutrition governance via CONSEA were highlighted as good practices to be shared with other countries.
The delegations of the member states of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) held a side event to discuss the creation of the Working Group on Nutrition and Food Systems. The goal of the group is to create processes of cooperation and synergy among the member states of the CPLP for the realization of the Human Right to Adequate Food, positioning nutrition centrally in the production, supply and marketing of food. The terms of reference of this Working Group were presented by a representative of the Brazilian Ministry of Social Development. Brazil assumes the Pro Tempore Presidency of the CPLP.