O Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar durante a pandemia do vírus da Covid-19: ações tomadas e desafios enfrentados na distribuição de gêneros alimentícios – Região Nordeste

Abstract

The Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar is the largest policy to promote Food and Nutritional Security in Brazil. Millions of people have had benefits generated by the program since its creation, mainly after its last modification in 2009. Unfortunately, with the interruption of classes due to the declaration of a calamity situation due to the pandemic of the new Covid-19 virus, it has implementation of the Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar much more challenging. The present research sought to observe the actions performed by the Executing Entities in the distribution of the Food Kits, and to evaluate if the conditions of Food and Nutritional Security were not reduced during the pandemic. The results obtained show an increase in Food Insecurity during the period, caused by some difficulties related to the acquisition of new food kits, mainly those with products from family farming. From the month of May to June, only 36.04% of the Executing Entities of the Municipal Education Departments in the Northeast purchased new foodstuffs to make new kits, and of this percentage only 74.64% purchased any foodstuffs from family farms. May was the month indicated as the worst month for deliveries, with few distributions being made. After 60% of the implementing entities in the Northeast had emptied their stocks in April with deliveries, 55.66% of the municipal entities and 40% of the state entities reported not having purchased new kits for new distributions by the end of June, which indicates that for two months after April, few deliveries were made, especially in May.