The Solidarity Kitchens Program works through three approaches:
I) Transferring of federal financial resources to support for the provision of meals by the solidarity kitchens in operation by the civil society;
II) Supplying of fresh and minimally processed food that come from public procurement via the [[Brazil:Food Purchase Program (PAA)|Food Purchase Program]]; and
III) Training and Capacity building for new kitchens. This includes providing training to new employees and transferring knowledge to improve the operation of solidarity kitchens.
The program also counts on specific strategies to address inequalities. It prioritizes cities and municipalities in areas with high levels of severe food insecurity and that have the highest shares of vulnerable groups among its users, i.e.: women, black population, homeless people, LGBT people, people with disabilities, indigenous people, quilombola communities and other traditional communities. This prioritization is applied when the government chooses kitchens to transfer foods via open and competitive calls, for example.
There are 2,667 Solidarity Kitchens identified in Brazil, 70% (1,867) are in operation and offer an average of 200 meals/day between 2 and 4 days a week, with an estimated delivery of 2,400 meals/month, totaling 28,800 meals/ year/kitchen.
In all Solidarity Kitchens operating in 2023, approximately 53,766,720 meals/year were produced and offered.
In 2024, more than 900 solidarity kitchens properly registered themselves in the Program's Management Information System and are now eligible for government support.
In 2023, the Food Purchase Program (PAA) allocated R$ 37 million (around US$ 7,4 million) to approximately 430 Solidarity Kitchens.
In 2024, R$ 40 million (around US$ 8 million) is planned for the acquisition of food from family farming that will be delivered to Solidarity Kitchens in all Brazilian states.
Additionally, in 2024, Brazilian government destined R$ 30 million (around US$ 6 million) to support 410 solidarity kitchen's operation, offering more than 14 million meals in one year
Multi-level governance involving national government (budget, guidance, policies), state government and local governments. In Brazil, the Interministerial Chamber of Food and Nutritional Security (Caisan) is part of the National Food and Nutritional Security System (Sisan), and its purpose is to promote the coordination of public administration bodies and entities involved in the area of Food and Nutritional Security.
Participation and social control carried out through public policy councils and social movements. The National Food and Nutrition Security Council (Consea) is made up of two-thirds of civil society representatives and one-third of government representatives. The presidency is exercised by a representative of civil society, appointed among its members and designated by the Presidency of the Republic. The participation of social movements is essential to ensure the autonomy and identity of solidarity kitchens.
The Management Information System for the Solidarity Kitchen Program is available on the website https://cozinhasolidaria.digital/ , where civil society and other agents can monitor solidarity kitchens and managing entities registered for participation in the program. Accountability and execution information can be found in the link "Controle Social", available in the website indicated in item 2.12
Community kitchens are a well-recognized public policy to enhance food and nutritional security in urban centers of Latin America countries (e.g.: Chávez Andrade, 2017; De Sordi, 2023a). In Brazil, this policy has been fostered by the federal government through the “Solidarity Kitchens Program” (Cozinhas Solidárias). A field study checked that the solidarity kitchen is in fact receiving donated raw food as inputs and transforming it into meals that are distributed to homeless people and informal workers that face food insecurity (De Sordi, 2023b).
A phone survey covering 242 municipalities of an earlier version of the program (Cozinhas Comunitárias) combined with in-depth interviews in 51 selected municipalities suggest that more than a half of the individuals receiving meals from a program’s kitchen were poor - i.e.: their per capita income lower than ½ a minimum wage (Sparovek et al. 2010). The same study indicates that a total of 46 percent of the public attending a community kitchen were experiencing food insecurity at the time of the field work (2008). In more detail, 16 percent of the beneficiaries were severely food insecure, another 7 percent moderately food insecure, while 23 percent were mildly food insecure. This suggests that the program is effectively reaching those in need and helping to fight hunger and malnutrition.
New studies that analyzed the reformed program (“Solidarity Kitchens”) reinforce the earlier findings. For example, Madruga, Machado, and Oliveira (2024) found that 81.9 percent of the beneficiary individuals surveyed by them were unemployed at the time of the interview. Of 83 beneficiaries, 61 percent relied on the solidarity kitchen every week to feed themselves.
References:
Sparovek, Gerd; Rodrigo Fernando Maule; Sergio Paganini Martins; Diego de Faveri Pereira Lima; Eliana Maria de Abreu e Lima Antoneli; Gilma Lucazechi Sturion; Ludwig Einstein Agurto Plata. "Avaliação do Programa Cozinhas Comunitárias" IN.: MDS. Rede de Equipamentos Públicos de Alimentação e Nutrição: resultados de avaliações. In: Cadernos de Estudos Desenvolvimento Social em Debate. – N. 5. Brasília, DF: Ministério do Desenvolvimento Social e Combate à Fome, Secretaria de Avaliação e Gestão da Informação, 2010.
Further Literature:
BELLO, Enzo; LEONEL JÚNIOR, Gladstone. A experiência das Cozinhas Solidárias dos movimentos populares: uma leitura contemporânea do Direito em Pachukanis. InSURgência: revista de direitos e movimentos sociais, Brasília, v. 10, n. 2, p. 427-445, jul./dez. 2024. (https://periodicos.unb.br/index.php/insurgencia/article/view/54080/40727)
BELLO, Enzo; OLIVEIRA, Fernanda Artimos de; MASCARELLO, Renata Piroli. Cozinhas Solidárias e Direito à Cidade: dos movimentos sociais à política pública, uma análise a partir da Cozinha da Lapa, Rio de Janeiro. Revista Brasileira de Direito Urbanístico – RBDU, Belo Horizonte, ano 9, n. 17, p. 83-108, jul./dez. 2023. DOI: 10.52028/RBDU.v09.i17-ART04.RJMIOLO_RBDU_17.indd 10809/01/2024 15:19:39 (https://biblioteca.ibdu.org.br/index.php/direitourbanistico/article/view/871/638)
MOREIRA, Giovanna Pissolato. COZINHA SOLIDÁRIA: As ações do MTST no combate à fome na cidade de São Paulo durante a Pandemia do COVID-19 (2021 – 2022). USP, 2022. BDTA USP - Detalhe do registro: Cozinha Solidária: as ações do MTST no combate à fome na cidade de São Paulo durante a pandemia do COVID-19 (2021 – 2022)
SOLEDADE, Juçara Alvarindo Brito...[et al.] A constituição de uma cozinha solidária, o aproveitamento de perdas pós-colheita e a segurança de alimentos: avanços e desafios no enfrentamento da vulnerabilidade social; Demetra, 2017. (https://www.e-publicacoes.uerj.br/demetra/article/view/28209/22875)
Preparation of the initiative with support of experts, managers and civil society through the National Council for Food (CONSEA) and Nutritional Security and social movements. The recommendations presented by CONSEA and social movements were incorporated into the final version of the Federal Decree. Other important lessons derived from the solidarity and emergency kitchens operating during the floods which demanded public action to ensure food and nutrition security to the population in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 2024. The whole kitchen's operating process was monitored by the program's implementation team.
SDG 1 - No poverty
- Target 1.1 - By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day
- Indicator 1.1.1 - Proportion of the population living below the international poverty line by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural)
- Target 1.2 - By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
- Indicator 1.2.1 - Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age
- Indicator 1.2.2 - Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
SDG 2 - Zero hunger
- Target 2.1 - By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
- Indicator 2.1.1 - Prevalence of undernourishment
- Indicator 2.1.2 - Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)
- Target 2.2 - By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons.
- Indicator 2.2.1 - Prevalence of stunting (height for age <-2 standard deviation from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age
- Indicator 2.2.2 - Prevalence of malnutrition (weight for height >+2 or <-2 standard deviation from the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age, by type (wasting and overweight)
- Indicator 2.2.3 - Prevalence of anaemia in women aged 15 to 49 years, by pregnancy status (percentage)
SDG 3 - Good health and well-being
- Target 3.1 - By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
- Indicator 3.1.1 - Maternal mortality ratio
- Indicator 3.1.2 - Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel
SDG 12 - Responsible consumption and production
- Target 12.3 - By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
- Indicator 12.3.1 - (a) Food loss index and (b) food waste index
SDG 1 – No poverty
- Target 1.1 – By 2030, eradicate extreme poverty for all people everywhere, currently measured as people living on less than $1.25 a day
- Indicator 1.1.1 – Proportion of the population living below the international poverty line by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural)
- Target 1.2 – By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
- Indicator 1.2.1 – Proportion of population living below the national poverty line, by sex and age
- Indicator 1.2.2 – Proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions
SDG 2 – Zero hunger
- Target 2.1 – By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round
- Indicator 2.1.1 – Prevalence of undernourishment
- Indicator 2.1.2 – Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity in the population, based on the Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES)
- Target 2.2 – By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age, and address the nutritional needs of adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women and older persons.
- Indicator 2.2.1 – Prevalence of stunting (height for age <-2 standard deviation from the median of the World Health Organization (WHO) Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age
- Indicator 2.2.2 – Prevalence of malnutrition (weight for height >+2 or <-2 standard deviation from the median of the WHO Child Growth Standards) among children under 5 years of age, by type (wasting and overweight)
- Indicator 2.2.3 – Prevalence of anaemia in women aged 15 to 49 years, by pregnancy status (percentage)
SDG 3 – Good health and well-being
- Target 3.1 – By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio to less than 70 per 100,000 live births
- Indicator 3.1.1 – Maternal mortality ratio
- Indicator 3.1.2 – Proportion of births attended by skilled health personnel
SDG 12 – Responsible consumption and production
- Target 12.3 – By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses
- Indicator 12.3.1 – (a) Food loss index and (b) food waste index
The Solidarity Kitchens Program works through three approaches:
I) Transferring of federal financial resources to support for the provision of meals by the solidarity kitchens in operation by the civil society;
II) Supplying of fresh and minimally processed food that come from public procurement via the [[Brazil:Food Purchase Program (PAA)|Food Purchase Program]]; and
III) Training and Capacity building for new kitchens. This includes providing training to new employees and transferring knowledge to improve the operation of solidarity kitchens.
The program also counts on specific strategies to address inequalities. It prioritizes cities and municipalities in areas with high levels of severe food insecurity and that have the highest shares of vulnerable groups among its users, i.e.: women, black population, homeless people, LGBT people, people with disabilities, indigenous people, quilombola communities and other traditional communities. This prioritization is applied when the government chooses kitchens to transfer foods via open and competitive calls, for example.
Preparation of the initiative with support of experts, managers and civil society through the National Council for Food (CONSEA) and Nutritional Security and social movements. The recommendations presented by CONSEA and social movements were incorporated into the final version of the Federal Decree. Other important lessons derived from the solidarity and emergency kitchens operating during the floods which demanded public action to ensure food and nutrition security to the population in the state of Rio Grande do Sul in 2024. The whole kitchen’s operating process was monitored by the program’s implementation team.
Food transfer or subsidized food (food distribution programmes)
World Health Organization (WHO)
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Multi-level governance involving national government (budget, guidance, policies), state government and local governments. In Brazil, the Interministerial Chamber of Food and Nutritional Security (Caisan) is part of the National Food and Nutritional Security System (Sisan), and its purpose is to promote the coordination of public administration bodies and entities involved in the area of Food and Nutritional Security.
Participation and social control carried out through public policy councils and social movements. The National Food and Nutrition Security Council (Consea) is made up of two-thirds of civil society representatives and one-third of government representatives. The presidency is exercised by a representative of civil society, appointed among its members and designated by the Presidency of the Republic. The participation of social movements is essential to ensure the autonomy and identity of solidarity kitchens.
There are 2,667 Solidarity Kitchens identified in Brazil, 70% (1,867) are in operation and offer an average of 200 meals/day between 2 and 4 days a week, with an estimated delivery of 2,400 meals/month, totaling 28,800 meals/ year/kitchen.
In all Solidarity Kitchens operating in 2023, approximately 53,766,720 meals/year were produced and offered.
In 2024, more than 900 solidarity kitchens properly registered themselves in the Program’s Management Information System and are now eligible for government support.
In 2023, the Food Purchase Program (PAA) allocated R$ 37 million (around US$ 7,4 million) to approximately 430 Solidarity Kitchens.
In 2024, R$ 40 million (around US$ 8 million) is planned for the acquisition of food from family farming that will be delivered to Solidarity Kitchens in all Brazilian states.
Additionally, in 2024, Brazilian government destined R$ 30 million (around US$ 6 million) to support 410 solidarity kitchen’s operation, offering more than 14 million meals in one year
The Management Information System for the Solidarity Kitchen Program is available on the website https://cozinhasolidaria.digital/ , where civil society and other agents can monitor solidarity kitchens and managing entities registered for participation in the program. Accountability and execution information can be found in the link “Controle Social”, available in the website indicated in item 2.12