The challenge of the new municipal administrations with food sovereignty and security

By Sônia Lucena
Nutritionist, teacher and vice president of the Sabiá Center

Municipal elections are of great importance to the population, because it is in the municipality that everything happens. In the current political context, these elections are fundamental to Brazilian democracy. Brazil’s 5,565 municipalities have already chosen their mayors and city council representatives, who will be responsible for drawing up laws and public policies to be implemented in the coming years.

Many challenges await the new municipal representatives in the next term, including stepping up existing commitments and initiating new actions in defense of the environment and the climate, which must be a priority. With the speed of climate change, permanent action by the three spheres of government and the population is essential, otherwise the damage already caused cannot be reversed.

Another important challenge is Food and Nutrition Sovereignty and Security (FNS). Since 2003, Brazil has been formulating policies in this area, such as the creation of the National Food Sovereignty and Security System, which until 2015 encouraged states and municipalities to create their own FNS strategies. These actions were interrupted in the two previous federal governments, but were resumed in 2023, due to the urgency of tackling Food and Nutrition Insecurity (InSAN), and consequently hunger, especially after the Covid-19 Pandemic.

It’s not an easy challenge to face; there is a lot of resistance from municipal managers to joining the system and taking responsibility for drawing up local policies and plans to fight hunger. The state of Pernambuco has 185 municipalities and only 25 have joined the State Food Security System, that is, only 13% of the total.

According to Law 11.346 of 2006, Food and Nutritional Sovereignty and Security is defined as the realization of the universal right to regular and permanent access to quality food in sufficient quantity, without compromising access to other essential needs. This concept is based on food practices that promote health, respect cultural diversity and are environmentally, economically, socially and culturally sustainable.

The notion of FNS is part of the right of every citizen to be safe in relation to food and nutrition in terms of sufficiency (protection against hunger and malnutrition), quality (prevention of food-related illnesses) and adequacy (appropriateness to social, environmental and cultural circumstances). A diet is considered adequate when, in addition to being nutritionally balanced, it contributes to the formation of healthy human beings who are aware of their rights and duties and their responsibility towards the environment and the quality of life of their dependents (SALLES-COSTA et al).

To expect these actions to come only from the federal government, without the effective participation of municipalities, is to be certain that, in addition to requiring much more time to achieve positive results, universal coverage will not be guaranteed. There is no other way but for civil society to participate widely through its organizations, its presence on public policy councils and its permanent contribution through systematic demands in the formulation and monitoring of FNS policies.

Consultation:

BRAZIL. “Law n. 11.346, of September 15, 2006. Creates the National Food and Nutrition Security System – Sisan with a view to ensuring the human right to adequate food and makes other provisions”, Brasília, 2006.

SALLES-COSTA, Rosana et al. Food systems, hunger and food insecurity in Brazil. Rio de Janeiro: Fiocruz, 2022.