NUTRITION

Healthy Eating. At the end of January, the Ministers of Agriculture of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC in Spanish) approved the general idea of the Plan for Food and Nutritional Security and the Eradication of Hunger 2030, during the event “Agriculture unites people – Food and nutritional security for our Americas”, held in Chile. The purpose of the meeting was to update the plan prepared by CELAC in 2015, in line with the new food needs of the region. As the plan was generally approved at the event, the document is subject to modifications in the final drafting process by Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which holds the pro tempore presidency of the organization. This country seeks to have the final draft ready by March of this year, the month in which the VIII Summit of CELAC will be held and in which the Heads of State of the region must submit the document to a vote in order to begin its implementation.

The purpose of this Plan is to eliminate hunger and improve nutritional quality by 2030 in Latin America and the Caribbean. To this end, the document establishes 4 pillars and 15 lines of action with the flexibility to be adapted to the reality of each country, noting that nations may prioritize the implementation of certain lines of action over others.

The first pillar proposed is on strengthening legal and institutional frameworks for Food and Nutrition Security (FNS). This involves promoting the participation of the legislature and parliamentary alliances in the development of regulations and institutions that facilitate the design, implementation and monitoring of FNS policies. The second pillar focuses on promoting sustainable production, supply and access to healthy food. This includes promoting legislation to ensure adequate coverage of outlets for nutritious food, strengthening family farming and fishing policies, and improving supply chain infrastructure to reduce food loss and waste. 

The third pillar focuses on guaranteeing the affordability and consumption of healthy diets for the entire population by improving school feeding programs and promoting food environments that encourage healthy patterns. It also proposes the approval of regulatory frameworks for nutritional front labeling. Finally, the last pillar seeks to promote sustainable and resilient agrifood systems to address climate change.

Next steps

The Ministers of Agriculture of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) agreed to update the Plan for Food and Nutritional Security and the Eradication of Hunger 2030, the last one having been drawn up in 2015, so that it is in line with new food needs in the region. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, holding the pro tempore presidency of CELAC, aims to have an updated draft plan ready by March of this year, the month in which the VIII CELAC Summit will be held. During that Summit, the Heads of State of the region should submit the document to a vote to begin its implementation, which will then be driven by Honduras, which in March will assume the presidency of the organization. 

Engagement opportunities for McDonald’s

In terms of updating the CELAC plan, the organization does not have advocacy spaces open to the private sector. However, McDonald’s has several opportunities to influence public policies at the executive and legislative levels in the region. Thus, it can collaborate in the development of local legal and institutional frameworks for Food and Nutrition Security, healthy eating, school environments and front food labeling by participating in the meetings of congressional committees in the event that a bill on the subject is discussed, or in instances of public consultation in regulations of the Executive.