São Gabriel da Cachoeira, a municipality of around 40,000 inhabitants in the state of Amazonas, was one of the first to set up the Indigenous PNAE, a branch of the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE) for indigenous schools in Brazil, with the aim of guaranteeing healthy and adequate school meals that respect the cultures and food traditions of indigenous peoples.
In São Gabriel, all the schools are indigenous and the diet of each people is reflected in the school menu, according to the nutritionist at the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil, Sineide Neres, who has been following the development of the Indigenous PNAE since 2015.
“In São Gabriel, the nutritionists are indigenous, which also contributes to the suitability of the menus. There, typical food such as fish, cassava and local vegetables fulfil the nutritional requirements and respect the traditional ways of preparing them,” says Sineide.
Indigenous farmers
She recalls that the first technical note for the state of Amazonas dates back to 2017, providing subsidies for indigenous school meals in line with their food culture.
“This favoured the purchase of food from farmers in indigenous communities for the National School Feeding Programme. Later, this instruction was extended to the whole of Brazil,” he said.
The secret to the success of the Indigenous PNAE in São Gabriel was the articulation between various institutions and the publication of a Technical Note by the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office of the State of Amazonas, which adapted the health standards required by the PNAE to the reality of indigenous peoples and the logistics of the state.
The argument was based on the existing understanding of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA), which facilitates the rules for the production of food of animal and vegetable origin for family consumption.
Preserving traditions
The general coordinator of the PNAE at the National Education Development Fund (FNDE), Karine Santos, explains that, given the need to preserve indigenous cultural traditions, especially with regard to food, the PNAE has established guidelines that ensure that schools with indigenous teaching methods receive specific federal transfers.
In addition, she emphasises that the preparation of menus must respect and maintain the dietary customs of indigenous communities, as recommended in the school feeding regulations.
‘These guidelines aim to guarantee the nutritional and cultural adequacy of the food provided in schools, promoting the valorisation of traditional food practices and contributing to the maintenance of indigenous cultural identity,’ she said.
Cultural plurality
São Gabriel stands out for having more than 20 indigenous peoples, including the Yanomami, the Tukano and the Baniwa. This cultural plurality is reflected in the languages, traditions and ways of life of the local communities, which coexist in harmony with the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest.
The municipality is the only one in Brazil to have five official languages: Portuguese, Baniwa, Tucano, Nheengatu and Yanomami.
The implementation of public policies and programmes aimed at protecting and valuing indigenous cultures is essential for the preservation of cultural heritage, as well as being a determining factor in promoting the health and social inclusion of these populations.