UN Praises Brazilian School Meals as a Model for Other Countries

Brazilian experiences with school meals are a model for other countries. The opinion was issued by Daniel Balaban, director of the United Nations World Food Programme’s Centre of Excellence against Hunger, during the “Dialogues on International Cooperation for Development,” an event held last September by the BRICS Policy Centre in partnership with the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), linked to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil. “With the support of the Centre of Excellence of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), more than 20 countries have developed national school meal policies inspired by Brazil’s successful program,” Balaban said. Resulting from a partnership between the governments of Brazil and the United Kingdom, the Centre of Excellence against Hunger provides technical assistance to countries that wish to adapt the implemented strategies to their realities. Mariana Rocha, Programme Officer at the Centre, emphasized the importance of South-South cooperation (that is, among developing countries) in the fight against hunger worldwide. According to her, school meals are a crucial part of this process. “Leaving no one behind in development means ensuring that children have access to opportunities and good nutrition under all circumstances,” said the expert, adding that “school meals reach those who need them most and allow excluded children to access multiple benefits of nutrition and education.” Source: BrazilGovNews