The city governments of Curitiba and Belo Horizonte, both members of LUPPA, have been recognized for their effective policies to combat hunger and food insecurity with the Selo Betinho (Betinho Seal), awarded by the organization Ação da Cidadania. In this edition, the initiative monitored 12 Brazilian state capitals and selected only three: the two LUPPA cities mentioned and the Federal District. The seal is named in honor of Herbert de Souza, known as Betinho, a sociologist and activist who dedicated his life to fighting hunger and the founder of Ação da Cidadania.

The selection criteria require proven progress on at least 70% of 36 targets developed by Ação da Cidadania in partnership with Instituto Comida do Amanhã. These targets are organized into three main pillars: strengthening the National Food and Nutrition Security System (SISAN); implementing public policies and food and nutrition security (FNS) facilities; and transparency and social participation.

Among the criteria met by the cities are guaranteeing a dedicated municipal budget to increase funding for the Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar (PNAE – National School Feeding Program), creating a Municipal Emergency Fund to fight hunger, implementing low-cost public restaurants and community kitchens, and increasing the supply of food from family farming to these FNS facilities.

Curitiba and Belo Horizonte are also among LUPPA’s mentor cities, alongside Osasco, São Paulo and Recife. The program’s mentoring methodology seeks to build a learning space among municipal officials, with workshops offered by cities that have more experience in food security planning to the other municipalities participating in LUPPA.

About LUPPA:

LUPPA is a program of Instituto Comida do Amanhã, carried out in partnership with ICLEI Brasil. It receives full support from Instituto Ibirapitanga, ICS – Instituto Clima e Sociedade, ITAÚSA, Fundação José Luiz Egydio Setúbal and Porticus, as well as institutional support from FAO Brazil – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and methodological partnership from Reos Partners Brasil.