During an official visit to Brazil, the Vice-President of Guatemala, Karin Herrera, met with representatives of the WFP Centre of Excellence against Hunger in Brazil to learn more about the public policies that have made the country a global benchmark in combating hunger and promoting food and nutritional security.
“Brazil is a global benchmark in policies to combat hunger. Learning about this experience is essential to strengthening the actions we are developing in Guatemala,” said Karin Herrera.
During a meeting held in Rio de Janeiro on 30 September, Programme Manager Vinicius Limongi and Ana Clara Cathalat, an international cooperation specialist at the Centre of Excellence, presented the trajectory of the Zero Hunger Strategy and structural programmes such as Bolsa Família, the Food Acquisition Programme (PAA) and the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE).
During the presentation, the representatives emphasised the importance of the Brazilian model of integrating social, agricultural and educational policies.
“Brazil’s experience shows that it is possible to tackle the structural causes of hunger in an intersectoral and participatory manner. The Centre of Excellence has the role of systematising these practices and supporting other countries in adapting solutions according to their national contexts,” said Ana Clara Cathalat.
The Guatemalan Vice-President, who coordinates interministerial actions on food and nutrition security in her country, listened with interest to the examples presented and reinforced the priority of the issue for her country’s government. “Food security is a priority for our government, and this dialogue with the Centre of Excellence in Brazil inspires us to adapt good practices to the Guatemalan reality,” she concluded.
The meeting was also attended remotely by representatives of the Guatemalan government, who were able to contribute to the discussions.