On October 16th, an online event in celebration of World Food Day in Brazil presented inspiring initiatives that are changing food systems in the country. The speakers shared experiences both in the countryside and in the cities and discussed topics such as waste, promoting healthy eating, and family farming. The event was organized by the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger Brazil, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Inter-American Cooperation Institute for Agriculture (IICA).
The first speaker was Aline Martins, who acts as Knowledge Management manager at the Semear Internacional Programme, where she coordinates the executive process for implementing Agroecological Notebooks. In Brazil, the Semear Programme has six projects supported by IFAD. The Programme disseminates knowledge and promotes the exchange of experiences. It also has a journalism contest to give awards to stories that highlight the work of farmers.
Next came Marie Tarrisse, sustainability manager at Grupo Carrefour Brazil. She has been working at Carrefour for 7 years and is now responsible for circular economy projects, critical production chains and animal welfare. During her presentation, Marie Tarrisse explained how the group has applied changes in production, distribution and food education in stores. The WFP Centre of Excellence and Carrefour have worked together in the Compra Solidária campaign, which distributed food vouchers to vulnerable families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The next guest was José Eduardo Scardua, CEO and founder of Raiz Capixaba, an agro-tech firm that conducts predictable research on the production of organic fruits and vegetables using artificial intelligence. The aim of Raiz Capixaba is to value and give accessibility to smallholder farmers and connect them with partner companies. As a result, farmers’ incomes increase, waste is reduced, the local economy improves, and organic production is also stimulated.
Finally, Naiara Santestevan, owner of VivaFlor Produtos Naturais, which is part of the Pé na Terra Group, presented the initiative that connects farmers, restaurants and consumers in the northern region of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The Pé na Terra Group is comprised of Viva Flor, Utopia Restaurant and Canopy Farm. The group won the Innovative Rural Youth Award, in the food security category.