Sergipe State Government Invests in Family Farming for Public School Meals

Strategic Insights -

The Sergipe State Government has made quality education, school infrastructure, and climate control a priority. The administration has also focused on providing healthy eating for state public school students, promoting local production, and supporting small producers in the state. The State Department of Education (SEED) has invested in purchasing food from family farms for school meals, which has resulted in a significant increase in the allocation of resources for this cause. According to the National School Feeding Program (PNAE), a minimum of 30% of resources must be allocated to purchasing food directly from family farms. In Sergipe, this figure reached 65.5% in 2024, with approximately 212,000 meals served daily by Seed's School Feeding Department (DAE).

Key Takeaways:

  • The Sergipe State Government has invested R$10,122,000 in family farming for school meals in 2025, targeting 318 schools, which is a significant increase from R$4 million in 2022.
  • The government has made it mandatory for schools to provide 65.5% of meals directly from family farms, ensuring fresh and nutritious food for students.
  • The DAE conducts annual mapping of family farming to launch public calls for proposals that respect regional, seasonal, and state culture.
  • Cooperafes, a cooperative for family farming and solidarity economy, has been a pioneer in the PNAE program in Sergipe since its formation in 2007.
  • The variety of cooperatives involved in the process is essential to expanding the reach of the program, providing a range of products, including sweet potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and other crops.
  • The government has created a guide to ensure quality, and all food destined for school meals must meet identity and quality regulations from regulatory agencies such as ANVISA and the Ministries of Health and Agriculture.
  • The initiative benefits small farmers, such as Maycon de Jesus, who have been able to secure a vital fixed income and have access to a wider market.
  • The program has also helped to improve the quality of life for farmers and their families, as noted by Tassio Geovane, who explained that the program has helped him to tend to his land, keep everything planted with manure and fertilizer, and pay labor.
  • Various agricultural crops have benefited from the initiative, including sweet potatoes, which are a staple crop in Sergipe.

Statistics:

  • 65.5% of resources allocated to purchasing food directly from family farms in Sergipe, exceeding the national minimum of 30% required by PNAE.
  • 212,000 meals served daily by Seed's School Feeding Department (DAE).
  • R$10,122,000 invested in family farming for school meals in 2025.
  • R$15.8 million invested in family farming in Sergipe through a public call, using resources from the National Fund for Education Development (FNDE).
  • 318 schools targeted by the program in 2025.

Sources:

  • SEED (Sergipe State Department of Education)
  • PNAE (National School Feeding Program)
  • FNDE (National Fund for Education Development)
  • ANVISA (National Health Surveillance Agency)
  • Ministries of Health and Agriculture
  • Cooperafes (Cooperative for Family Farming and Solidarity Economy)