The United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) Centre of Excellence against Hunger took part this week in a programme of activities in São Paulo focusing on food security, nutrition, innovation, climate change and the mobilisation of partnerships.
The programme included participation in the Future of Nutrition 2026 Summit and São Paulo Climate Week 2026, as well as meetings with companies from various sectors to present the ‘Hunger doesn’t go on vacation’ campaign and discuss opportunities for cooperation.
On 4 August, the Centre of Excellence’s Partnerships Officer, Igor Carneiro, took part in the opening plenary session ‘Science, Perception and Regulation’ during the Future of Nutrition 2026 Summit. The event brought together representatives from international organisations, regulatory authorities, researchers and leaders from the food and ingredients industries.
The presentation set out the WFP’s global perspective on the role of science, innovation and public policy in building food systems that are more secure and better prepared for the future.
The discussion was structured around the two complementary dimensions of the WFP’s mandate: saving lives in emergencies and transforming lives by strengthening more resilient, inclusive and sustainable food systems.
“Science and innovation must address both the immediate needs of populations affected by crises and the challenge of reducing vulnerabilities in the long term. This requires linking nutrition, logistics, local markets, public policy and institutional capacity,” said Igor Carneiro.
Climate
On 6 August, the Centre took part in the panel discussion ‘The role of public policy in ensuring food security in the age of climate change’, held during São Paulo Climate Week 2026, in partnership with the Pact Against Hunger.
The debate addressed how climate forecasts can be linked to public decision-making, agricultural policies, social protection systems and predictable funding mechanisms, enabling governments to act before extreme events turn into food crises.
Campaign
Alongside the events, the Centre of Excellence held meetings with companies from various sectors to present the ‘Hunger doesn’t go on vocation’ campaign.
The initiative aims to support vulnerable children during school holidays, when regular access to school meals is interrupted.
The first phase aims to support approximately 1,000 children in ten Brazilian states, through a model that combines food assistance, support and coordination between public institutions, the private sector and civil society.
The meetings provided an opportunity to outline the structure of the campaign and discuss financial, technological, operational and communications contributions.