Nutrition-sensitive agriculture and the promotion of food and nutrition sovereignty and security in Brazil / Agricultura sensível à nutrição e a promoção da soberania e da segurança alimentar e nutricional no Brasil

Abstract This paper explores the possibilities of the nutrition-sensitive agriculture approach in the context of the programs and actions towards promoting food and nutrition sovereignty and security in Brazil. To analyze the links between nutrition and agriculture, this paper presents the conceptual framework related to food and nutrition security, and stresses the correlations among concepts, institutional structures and program design in Brazil. Dominant models of food production and consumption are scrutinized in the light of these relationships. This paper also highlights differences amongst different ways to promote nutrition-sensitive agriculture through food-acquisition programs from family farmers, experiences in agro-ecology and bio-fortification programs. In the closing remarks, the paper draws some lessons learned from the Brazilian experience that highlight the advantages of family farming and rapid food production, distribution and consumption cycles in order to promote access to an affordable, diversified and more adequate diet in nutritional terms.

Resumo O artigo explora as possibilidades da abordagem sobre agricultura sensível à nutrição no contexto dos programas e ações de promoção da soberania e segurança alimentar e nutricional no Brasil. A análise dos elos entre agricultura e nutrição tem em conta o marco conceitual esuas correlações com as estruturas institucionais e o desenho dos programas nessa área no Brasil, especialmente com respeito aos modelos dominantes de produção e consumo de alimentos. O texto destaca também as diferenças entre os modos de promover uma agricultura sensível à nutrição por meio dos programas de aquisição de alimentos dos agricultores familiares, experiências de agroecologia e programas de biofortificação. As considerações finais extraem lições da experiência brasileira quanto às vantagens da agricultura familiar, dos circuitos curtos de produção, distribuição e consumo e na promoção do acesso a uma dieta não custosa, diversificada e adequada em termos nutricionais.

Nutrition-sensitive agriculture and the promotion of food and nutrition sovereignty and security in Brazil.

This paper explores the possibilities of the nutrition-sensitive agriculture approach in the context of the programs and actions towards promoting food and nutrition sovereignty and security in Brazil. To analyze the links between nutrition and agriculture, this paper presents the conceptual framework related to food and nutrition security, and stresses the correlations among concepts, institutional structures and program design in Brazil. Dominant models of food production and consumption are scrutinized in the light of these relationships. This paper also highlights differences amongst different ways to promote nutrition-sensitive agriculture through food-acquisition programs from family farmers, experiences in agro-ecology and bio-fortification programs. In the closing remarks, the paper draws some lessons learned from the Brazilian experience that highlight the advantages of family farming and rapid food production, distribution and consumption cycles in order to promote access to an affordable, diversified and more adequate diet in nutritional terms.