Tropentag 2020, September 9 - 11, virtual conference, Germany "Food and nutrition security and its resilience to global crises"

Food and Nutritional Security in Brazil: Socio-Political Scenario from 2015 to COVID-19

¹University Center Alves Faria, Law College, Brazil
²Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Law College, Brazil
³Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Nutrition, Brazil

Abstract

Over the years, Brazil has gained worldwide recognition in the fight against hunger and food insecurity, being a reference for other parts of the world. This fact occurred after the understanding of hunger as a social, political, and economic problem, not just as a natural phenomenon. Food and nutritional security structure were built with policies aimed at reducing poverty and inequities, with a focus on human development, such as "Fome Zero" and "Brasil sem Miséria", resulting in Brazil leaving the Hunger Map in 2014. However, despite all the achievements, recent analyses reveal the increase in poverty numbers in Brazil and great possibility of returning to the Hunger Map. According to the semi-annual report on the Latin American and Caribbean Region, developed by the World Bank in April 2020, since 2015 the reduction of poverty and inequality seems to be stagnant, and this year's projections of the International Poverty Index increased from 4.4 in 2019 to 7.0 in 2020. Thus, this research aims to analyse the current Brazilian scenario, the measures taken and the impact already observed, through a qualitative approach, anchored in historical and dialectical methods, through bibliographic and documentary research. It was noted that in 2019, Provisional Measure 870/2019 was instituted by the current government of President Bolsonaro, which modified the structure of the federal government, reducing and bringing together ministries, and disrupted the Organic Law on Food and Nutritional Security (Losan nº 11.346 / 2006), extinguishing the National Council for Food and Nutrition Security (CONSEA) and, consequently, damaging the food and nutrition security system (SISAN). Currently, Brazil has no new National Plan for Food and Nutritional Security, referring to the years 2020-2024, as this would be the responsibility of CONSEA. Amid this deficit and insecure scenario, due to Covid-19, social problems can be amplieded, increasing the level of food insecurity. Thus, observing and analysing the actions of public authorities and organised civil society are the next tasks of this research.

Keywords: Corona virus, food entitlement, pandemic, public policy

Contact Address: Luciana Ramos Jordão, State University of Goiás, Law College (Southeast Campus: Morrinhos), Av. Perimetral Norte, n. 4356, c. 88b, Alto da Boa Vista, 74445500 Goiânia, Brazil, e-mail: luciana.jordaoueg.br