AUTHOR=Tuliende Mónica Isabel Eduardo Domingos , Martinelli Suellen Secchi , Soares Panmela , Fabri Rafaela Karen , Bianchini Vitória Uliana , Cavalli Suzi Barletto 

TITLE=Benefits and Difficulties of Implementing Family-Farming Food Purchases in the Brazilian National School Feeding Program

JOURNAL=International Journal of Public Health

VOLUME=69

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.ssph-journal.org/journals/international-journal-of-public-health/articles/10.3389/ijph.2024.1605870

DOI=10.3389/ijph.2024.1605870

ISSN=1661-8564

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> To explore the opinions of Brazilian National School Feeding Program (NSFP) nutritionists concerning the benefits and difficulties of implementing family-farming food purchases for the school feeding program.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Exploratory and descriptive qualitative study conducted through the analysis of inductive content of open interviews carried out with technically responsible nutritionists of the School Feeding Program of 21 municipalities in Southern Brazil.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> The qualitative analysis of the interviews resulted in 17 codes grouped into four categories that show the opinion of nutritionists on the benefits and difficulties of purchasing family-farming food: 1. increasing the visibility of rural areas and 2. improving the quality of food provided in school meals; 3. low product availability and 4. limited infrastructure for production and delivery.</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> According to nutritionists, purchasing family-farming food in NSFP can increase the supply of healthy food in schools and stimulate rural development. However, efforts are needed to adjust institutional food demands for local food production and improve infrastructure for food production and distribution.</p>