5 initiatives working towards food security in Brazil

This Sunday, October 16th, marks World Food Day, a date that serves as a time for reflection on the situation in Brazil and the world when it comes to food on the plate. Unfortunately, hunger has increased globally, reaching 9.8% of the world's population in 2021, according to a report released by the United Nations. In Brazil, the data is also shocking. The 2nd National Survey on Food Insecurity in the Context of the Covid-19 Pandemic in the country indicated that 33.1 million people – about 15.5% of Brazilians – live in a situation of severe food insecurity.

In such a scenario, the work of civil society organizations becomes essential to combat hunger today, at this moment, and also to promote systemic changes that build a more dignified and just tomorrow. To transform this tragic reality, mobilization and support are necessary. This blog post from the Bem Maior Movement presents five organizations that have participated in the Futuro Bem Maior program and whose work is rooted in food. Check them out below:

EcomAmor Institute – GO

Food, agroecology, socio-environmental education, and community are the pillars of the work of the EcomAmor Institute , which seeks to connect people to build sustainable cities through its actions in Goiás.

Since the group's first initiative in 2015, which was to gather information related to food security and encourage healthier eating habits, the idea of ​​expanding its impact has been developed and refined. The result was the birth of this organization that, today, sows the seeds of the future through socio-environmental education in schools.

One of the successful initiatives was the "From the Garden to the School Lunch" project, in which participating schools received ongoing training with in-person meetings on topics such as "school gardens" and "community building".

Seeds in Motion – RJ

The Semeando Amor Social Project has been working for 20 years in the Rio das Pedras community, in the Jacarepaguá region of Rio de Janeiro, fighting hunger and carrying out educational and environmental activities.

Amidst this work, the Sementes em Movimento , born from the intention of teaching residents how to fully utilize food, avoiding food waste.

With the support received from Futuro Bem Maior, the collective was able to promote training courses focused on the full use of food and the commercialization of products produced through this reuse process. This project, in addition to preventing waste, aimed to enable people to create an extra source of income.

New Sertão Institute – PI

The Instituto Novo Sertão , headquartered in the city of Betânia (PI), develops social transformation projects and establishes partnerships with other municipalities to share social technologies and empower more people throughout the state's interior.

The group's history began in 2012 with emergency actions, such as bringing food, water, and clothing to people living in extreme poverty during a severe drought. To completely change the situation and transform the Sertão region, a group of friends decided to formalize the Instituto Novo Sertão in 2015.

Much has already been done. The "Productive Backyards" project, for example, has served communities facing food insecurity and extreme poverty through agroecology, technical training, and the transition from monoculture production to family-based agriculture, all contextualized to the reality of the semi-arid region.

Brotar Institute – CE

The Brotar Institute operates in the interior of Ceará, with the mission of promoting agroecology and social transformation in the semi-arid region. Formed by a group of collaborators, the organization seeks to expand opportunities for children, young people, the elderly, and families in rural areas.

The "Living Communities" project, for example, aims to generate food security, environmental preservation, and income for families through the implementation of technologies such as biodigesters and bio-water.

The biodigester uses animal manure to produce biogas instead of cooking gas. The bio-water system reuses water from washing dishes, clothes, and other activities for irrigating vegetables, fruits, and medicinal plants after a filtration process.

Nucleus of Popular Educators of the Sertão (NEPS) – PE

NEPS climate , valuing the region's culture and encouraging community leadership. Its work systematically contributes to knowledge production, serving small producers by offering solutions adapted to local realities.

The group promotes the production of agroecological and organic-based foods in interesting projects, such as the initiative "Rural Women Caring for the Fields and Nature," which features activities aimed at rural women workers, such as growing vegetables for food and income generation.

On NEPS's Instagram, you can see the results of their projects, such as productive backyards, growing vegetables in stony soil, and storing water for periods of drought.

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