Inovações para a promoção do acesso aos alimentos por meio de organizações da Sociedade Civil no Brasil / Innovations to guarantee access to food through civil society organizations in Brazil

Introdução e objetivo: O artigo busca atualizar as informações sobre a atuação das organizações da sociedade civil no atendimento à demanda emergencial por alimentos. Discussão: Nos anos recentes o Brasil viveu um verdadeiro desmonte das políticas públicas de combate à fome que se deu em combinação com a crise sanitária provocada pela pandemia. A mobilização da sociedade procurou restaurar de forma precária uma rede de proteção social evitando uma situação ainda mais grave. Nesse contexto surgiram interessantes iniciativas na operação dos Bancos de Alimentos, Cozinhas Solidárias, Restaurantes Populares e na conexão mais direta entre agricultores familiares e consumidores urbanos pelo uso de aplicativos. Conclusão: O artigo reforça a responsabilidade e o importante papel das organizações da sociedade na Política de Segurança Alimentar. (AU)

Introduction and objective: The article seeks to update information on the performance of civil society organizations in meeting the emergency demand for food. Discussion: In recent years, Brazil has experienced a real dismantling of public policies to combat hunger that occurred in combination with the health crisis caused by the pandemic. The mobilization of society sought to restore a social protection network in a precarious way, avoiding an even more serious situation. In this context, interesting initiatives emerged in the operation of Food Banks, Solidarity Kitchens, Popular Restaurants and in the more direct connection between family farmers and urban consumers through the use of mobile applications. Conclusion: The article reinforces the responsibility and the important role of civil society organizations in the Food Security and Nutrition Policy. (AU)

Public infrastructure for food and nutrition security in brazil: fufilling the constitutional commitment to the human right to adequate food.

Food insecurity is a critical global problem with social and public health consequences. In Brazil, access to adequate food is a fundamental human right guaranteed under the country's Constitution since 2010. As such, the State assumes the distinct and complementary obligations to respect, protect, promote and provide the Right to Adequate Food. The aim of this study is to present actions related to the "provision" dimension that have been developed as part of a network of public infrastructure strategies for food and nutrition security in Brazil. Through an exploratory, analytical literature review, the paper focuses on the operational designs and logistics of three main strategies: Food Banks, Community Kitchens, and Popular Restaurants. The Brazilian experience indicates that public actions are necessary, especially considering the urgency for those groups living with hunger and poverty. While similar programs can be found in other countries in South and North America, they are mostly offered by civil society organizations, and have not advanced toward public institutionalization. In fact, private programs are criticized for negating governments' obligation and responsibility in this area. Brazil's experience sheds light on public initiatives in meeting the State's obligations towards the Right to Adequate Food. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12571-022-01272-1.

Brazilian Food Banks: Overview and Perspectives.

In recent decades food banks have become a worldwide response to the contradicting the coexistence of food losses and waste, on the one hand, and hunger and food insecurity on the other. In Brazil, food banks had a rapid expansion, becoming the object of public policy on Food and Nutrition Security and of non-profit private institutions. Our study presents an unprecedented overview of all the food banks currently active in the Brazilian territory, discussing their performances and perspectives. We conducted descriptive research, aiming to characterize the number, spatial distribution, performance, and modalities of operation of the Brazilian food banks. We mapped 217 active food banks and they all participated in the study. The results revealed the important capillarity of the food banks, which exist in all 27 Brazilian federative units, but also demonstrate the potential and need for expansion. Most of the Brazilian food banks has commercial establishments as their largest donor partners and have fruits and vegetables as their most donated items. They mostly complement the feeding of families at social risk and children served by social institutions. Food and nutrition education actions are offered by all the studied units to donor partners and beneficiary institutions and families.