MCTI will invest R$500 million in the fight against hunger

Under the argument of 'taking the country off the hunger map', the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MDIC) intends to invest R$500 million in research in the area of ​​food security by 2026. The announcement was made, this Tuesday (24), by minister Luciana Santos, during the 1st Conference National Free Research on Sovereignty and Food and Nutritional Security (CNLSSAN-Pesquisa), in Brasilia.

By highlighting the relevance of the Executive's efforts to remove Brazil from the 'hunger map', Luciana emphasized the fundamental role of researchers and science itself, in facing this atavistic challenge of society Brazilian.

“With these resources, we will invest in the development of sustainable solutions to combat hunger and poverty, which include structuring local production arrangements and promoting new technologies to increase agricultural productivity familiar. We therefore want to increase the generation of work and income in different regions, considering the diversity of biomes and food systems. production”, stated the holder of the department, remembering that a substantial part of the food that reaches Brazilian tables comes from agriculture familiar.

Included in the MCTI Science, Technology and Innovation Program for Food Security, Hunger Eradication and Socioproductive Inclusion, The announced resources originate from the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT), whose action program will be carried out by Finep and CNPq, above all, through public calls, in which the expectation is that the first one will be carried out, even this year.

When recalling what she called “advances achieved in President Lula’s previous administrations, which, in recent years”, the minister understands that the last government would have been responsible for “the dismantling of policies to combat food insecurity and the social protection network, which resulted in an increase in poverty".

‘Population of a country’ – According to a diagnosis by the Brazilian Research Network on Food Sovereignty and Security and Nutritional, organizer of the conference, 33 million Brazilians today live in a situation of insecurity to feed.

“I would like to take this opportunity to recognize and thank the work of the Network and the courage of so many researchers who have not left to produce studies and surveys during the data blackout that our country suffered in the previous political cycle. Today, under the leadership of President Lula, we are committed to rebuilding Brazil”, emphasized Luciana, adding that the fight against hunger has once again become a priority in the country. As an example, she cited measures such as the reinstallation of the National Council for Food and Nutritional Security (Consea) and the launch of the Brazil Without Hunger Plan.