Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE) no município de Alenquer/Pará: impactos sociais, econômicos e ambientais no PDS Paraíso, PA Curumu e PA especial quilombola Pacoval

Abstract

Alenquer is one of 13 municipalities in the Baixo Amazonas Paraense, an area characterized by the presence of family farmers, agrarian reform settlements, quilombola communities, indigenous peoples, and fishermen. Pará is the state with the highest number of family farming (AF) establishments in the North region, a sector of great economic importance and food production. Despite this, it has historically been marginalized by public policies, a situation that began to change after many social struggles. As a result, programs such as Pronaf, PAA, and Pnae were created to encourage and strengthen the sector. The study is justified by the scarcity of research related to the topic in the Baixo Amazonas and its relevance for the improvement of public policies in the region, especially those aimed at strengthening AF. The overall objective is to analyze the implementation of the National School Feeding Program (Pnae) and its social, economic, and environmental impacts in the municipality of Alenquer/Pará, with an emphasis on PDS Paraíso, PA Curumu, and PA Especial Quilombola Pacoval, from 2018 to 2023. Its specific objectives are: a) to analyze the theoretical and normative basis of public policies aimed at family farming; b) to analyze the Pnae in Brazil and in the Lower Amazon region of Pará in terms of its evolution and operationalization; and c) to analyze the institutionalization of the Pnae in Alenquer and its operationalization from 2018 to 2023, as well as its social, economic, and environmental impacts on the PDS Paraíso, PA Curumu, and PA especial quilombola Pacoval in Alenquer. This is a case study and the methodology adopted encompasses qualitative and quantitative approaches. In the qualitative analysis, texts and documents related to the topic were examined, in addition to the results obtained from questionnaires administered to family farmers, the nutritionist from the School Food Department, and school principals, with the aim of analyzing the impacts of the PNAE in the municipality. In the quantitative analysis, in addition to the results of the field research, statistical data from the IBGE and FNDE on AF and the Pnae were analyzed. The results indicate that the inclusion of farmers in the Pnae in the municipality contributed to the strengthening of the local economy, with an increase in income for more than 90% of respondents, an improvement in the quality of life of families, access to quality food in schools, and the adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices. Among the challenges, the lack of transportation to transport production and delays in payments by the city government stand out. It was concluded that AF is fundamental for food production and the economy, and that access to public policies for farmers can strengthen the sector and generate social, economic, and environmental development in the region.