Avaliação do Plano Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) em uma unidade escolar da cidade de Fortaleza nos anos de 2020 a 2023

Abstract

Research related to the analysis of food security policies has occupied a prominent position in the field of public policies in Brazil. A central program in this context is the National School Meal Plan (PNAE), which aims not only to combat inequalities associated with food insecurity, but also to promote family farming, reduce school dropouts and encourage community participation and local economic development. However, in recent years, the PNAE has faced significant challenges, particularly due to the context of the pandemic. Brazil, reintroduced to the "hunger map" in 2015, witnessed a worsening of this situation during the administration of the Bolsonaro Government. In 2020, with the worsening of the pandemic, thousands of vulnerable families, excluded from basic social policies, suffered the impacts of this health crisis. The pandemic context represented an imminent threat to food and nutritional security, affecting vulnerable populations, including traditional peoples and communities. The PNAE, impacted by school closures, resource cuts and social distancing, needed to adapt to the new scenario. This study aims to evaluate how the municipality of Fortaleza – CE executed the PNAE from 2020 to 2023, considering the structural changes that occurred and the impacts of the pandemic. The research used a qualitative approach, with semi-structured interviews carried out in a public school in the capital. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the strategies adopted during the pandemic and the adaptability of the program to unexpected changes were examined. This study will contribute to understanding the challenges faced by the PNAE in the context of the pandemic and to the evaluation of the implementation of the food security policy in Fortaleza - CE, from 2020 to 2023.