Alimentação escolar e Agricultura Familiar: um estudo sobre a execução do PNAE em Bom Despacho-MG

Abstract

This study addresses the execution of PNAE in the context of public schools belonging to the municipality of Bom Despacho / MG. In other words, it seeks to ascertain the difficulties in implementing the PNAE, especially with regard to the purchase scope of the 30% of products from Family Farming for the purpose of composing school meals, as well as the potentialities related to this process. With regard to the methodology, it is highlighted that the research is eminently qualitative (and in a complementary, quantitative way), based on case studies, starting from semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, document analysis, conducting focus groups with the actors involved in the mentioned Program, elaboration of a personal report of the researcher, of a documentary about the event entitled “Connections Solidary” and also of the elaboration of a booklet, for purposes of ascertaining the knowledge about the execution of the PNAE in the municipality and also of all elucidated knowledge. As a result, it was possible to notice that there are obstacles that prevent the full implementation of PNAE in the municipality, that is, the intense bureaucracy that permeates the PNAE, the difficulties of dialogue between school managers and family farmers, the unfair pricing of products, the plastering of school menus, the lack of training for family farmers, among others. In this context, some school institutions have demonstrated, through data from the School Boxes, that they are unable to meet the goal of 30% required by the PNAE Law, for the purchase of food from Family Farming. In the question related to the students' perception of the importance of school meals, knowledge about the existence of Family Farming and the surrounding elements, it was noticed that school meals have great importance to students, but that the criteria related to Family Farming still are unknown to the majority. As for the possible actions in favor of the satisfactory execution of the PNAE, there was a need to simplify the paths for family farmers (obtaining the DAP, conducting continuous public calls), the promotion of training courses by the local EMATER, full compliance the guidelines and principles contained in the PNAE law by school managers and the municipality, the fair pricing of products, the inclusion of new family farmers in the Program to meet the high demand of school institutions, the encouragement of dialogue between the included social actors in this reality and the predilection for actions in favor of food and nutritional security. It is also understood that this research discussed some paths that can be taken by the mentioned social actors, in addition to presenting possible “potentialities” regarding the execution of the PNAE in the municipality of Bom Despacho / MG.