Between 2 and 10 December, Brazil welcomed a delegation from Pakistan on a study mission that included a field visit to Arapiraca (Alagoas) from 2 to 6 December and institutional meetings in Brasilia from 8 to 10 December. The mission focused on learning about and sharing experiences in the areas of food and nutrition security, family farming and sustainable rural development.
The initiative was organised by the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Brazilian Government, with support from the Alagoas State Government for field activities. In Alagoas, the delegation learned about innovative family farming practices, agroforestry systems and cooperative initiatives. In the area of public policy, they were able to observe the implementation of the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE) during a visit to a school, as well as learn about the Food Acquisition Programme (PAA).
Among the experiences shared were the popular restaurant and food bank, as well as cisterns and economic garden beds, which are social technologies aimed at coexisting with the semi-arid climate, very similar to that of Pakistan.
In Brasilia, the meetings included presentations on Brazilian public policies, such as Bolsa Família, the National Programme for Strengthening Family Agriculture (Pronaf) and food security strategies, as well as debates on governance and technical assistance.
The exchange allowed the Pakistani delegation to learn about Brazilian experiences that could be adapted to their context, especially in school feeding, social protection and sustainable agriculture.
The experience was positive for the Minister of the Department of Planning and Development of the Government of Balochistan, Zahoor Ahmed Buledi, who was part of the delegation. “We learned about family farming incentive programmes, saw how farmers work and understood the production chain. It was very interesting, and we will try to replicate some of these models in Pakistan.”
According to Vinicius Limongi, Programme Manager at the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger, this mission reinforced the importance of South-South cooperation as a tool for addressing common challenges. “Countries with similar climates and soils can exchange successful experiences and social technologies that provide accessible and effective solutions to strengthen food security policies. This dialogue is essential to amplify impacts and promote social innovation.”
Julio Worman, IFAD Programme Analyst who accompanied the field visit, highlighted that the visit of the Pakistani delegation to Brazil showed how integrated policies and social technologies can transform rural realities. “This exchange strengthens our capacity to support partner countries in building more resilient and inclusive food systems.”
Finally, the visit ended with the signing of the Strategic Cooperation Action Plan for future cooperation to expand public policies to combat hunger. The document was signed by the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil, the WFP Country Office in Pakistan and the IFAD Office in Pakistan.