In an initiative that reinforces the role of family farming in Brazilian food security, the InovaSAN Project held a meeting with representatives of cooperatives and family farming organizations from 20 Brazilian states on 22 July at the national headquarters of the Landless Rural Workers’ Movement (MST) in Brasilia.
InovaSAN (a name that combines the words innovation and food and nutritional security) is a partnership between the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil, the Ministry of Social Development, Family and Hunger Alleviation (MDS) and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC).
The main objective of the meeting was to present farmers with opportunities to participate in institutional food purchases made by the WFP, especially in the context of international humanitarian aid.
During the meeting, representatives from the Centre of Excellence explained the role of the WFP as a United Nations agency that acts in global emergencies, such as natural disasters and conflicts, and highlighted the potential of the InovaSAN Project to promote food and nutrition security actions in various food environments.
The proposal to expand into the international market was identified as a strategic opportunity for agrarian reform cooperatives, with positive impacts in the socioeconomic, political, and institutional spheres. The WFP was presented as a reliable partner, with continuous demand for food for vulnerable populations in different parts of the world, a demand that is likely to grow in the face of climate change.
Participants were able to ask questions and discuss ways of coordinating with the Centre of Excellence, resulting in the strengthening of the partnership with the MST, especially with the National Union of Popular Agrarian Reform Cooperatives of Brazil (Unicrab).
The initiative reinforces Brazilian public policies to combat hunger and promote food security, in addition to highlighting the role of South-South cooperation as a tool for sustainable development. To learn more about the Centre of Excellence’s actions in the field of South-South cooperation, visit: www.centrodeexcelencia.org.br