This panel explores Brazil’s National School Feeding Program (PNAE) as a leading example of how food procurement can simultaneously advance food security, rural development, and climate adaptation and mitigation.

Bringing together scientists from CGIAR, Brazilian academics, local and national policymakers, and civil society leaders, the session will examine emerging evidence on the broader economic and environmental impacts of PNAE.

Topics will include the program’s role in supporting agroecological transitions, strengthening local markets, and enhancing the climate resilience of smallholder farmers and communities.

EVENT OBJECTIVES

1. This event will highlight existing evidence and examples of how school feeding and food procurement have the potential to contribute to biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation and adaptation, in addition to nutritional and educational outcomes, based on the case of Brazil. 
2. The event will also discuss remaining evidence gaps and ways to close them in Brazil and beyond, if school feeding programs and public procurement are to maximize local benefits and global impacts, as outlined in Brazil’s COP30 “mutirão”. 
3. Another objective will be to identify pathways for the inclusion of indigenous communities, culturally appropriate food and neglected and underutilized crops into school feeding programs, which can help localize food systems and improve nutritional outcomes.  

KEY OUTCOMES

1. Position paper on mapping the impact of school meal programs on climate and biodiversity 
2. Partnership and collaboration identified to address research gaps and opportunities on school meal programs in Brazil and beyond 
3. Guidance on inclusion of public food procurement (e.g., school meal programs) into NDCs/NAPs, NBSAPs, UNFSS National Pathways and the need for cohesion across these and more