“Tem gente com fome”: um estudo antropológico sobre a política pública “Ceará sem Fome”

Abstract

The 2nd National Survey on Food Insecurity in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic in Brazil was conducted in 2022 and was coordinated by the Brazilian Research Network on Food and Nutritional Sovereignty and Security (Rede PENSSAN). The data revealed an alarming scenario: 33.1 million Brazilians were hungry, and 58.7% of the population experienced food insecurity to some degree. In the state of Ceará, approximately 2.4 million people were affected by this reality. The survey also revealed structural inequalities, showing that food insecurity is more prevalent in households headed by Black individuals and in households led by women. This highlights the racialized and gendered nature of hunger in Brazil. Furthermore, it is important to note that, in this context, hunger is not only the absence of food but also silently and continuously manifests as "partial hunger," or the lack of essential nutrients despite daily food intake. Therefore, it is an issue that goes beyond the social sphere and takes on important political contours (Castro, 1984). Another concerning trend is the growth of the homeless population. According to 2022 CadÚnico data, 236,400 people were registered as homeless, which represents only part of the reality and indicates significant underreporting. In light of this situation, this study focuses on the public policy "Ceará sem Fome" (Ceará without Hunger), which was implemented by the State Government of Ceará to combat hunger and promote food security among people living in extreme poverty. Specifically, the study focuses on the Ceará sem Fome Kitchen Network, which distributes one meal (lunch) daily from Monday to Friday in both the capital and the interior. One of the program's eligibility criteria is that the head of the household must be female. Thus, this research focuses on two groups: black women who benefit from the program and the homeless population that relies on leftovers from kitchens in the Serrinha neighborhood of Fortaleza. The objective is to understand whether these initiatives have effectively promoted food security and to investigate how hunger and food insecurity impact the daily lives of these people based on interviews and field observations. The study also reflects on the need to expand this policy's coverage to more effectively reach the homeless population. The collected data will contribute to a critical, in-depth analysis of the public policy, situating food insecurity within the local Serrinha context and its intersectionalities.