Future Policy Award

Belo Horizonte: A City abolishes Hunger

The city of Belo Horizonte is a world pioneer in the governance for food security. Its Municipal Law No. 6.352, 15/07/1993 set out a policy framework that is committed to the concept of food sovereignty: the right of peoples to adequate food, to define their own food and agricultural policies and trade in such a manner as to secure sustainable development.

Implementation

Belo Horizonte

Representatives from civil society, the clergy and the business world were called to council to support the municipality of Belo Horizonte with the implementation of the policy. The following measures were developed:

  • Local markets are supported and facilitated so that the trade between local producers and consumers is encouraged, lowering food prices and increasing food sovereignty
  • The public provision of food for free school meals and subsidised restaurant meals are targeted so that local production of healthy food could be supported and new employment created at the same time
  • The entire population of Belo Horizonte is be educated about their Right to Food, affordable suppliers of produce, healthy nutrition and the possibilities of subsistence farming in municipal gardens
  • Markets are regulated on selected produce to guarantee the right to healthy high-quality food to all of Belo Horizonte’s citizens

Result: Hunger has been almost eliminated for the cost of less than 10 million USD per year, just 2% of the city’s annual budget

Positive policy results – Success in Numbers

  • 60% fewer children are dying compared to 10 years ago, malnutrition has been reduced by 75%
  • 25% fewer people live in poverty, the local economy is flourishing
  • 40% of people profit directly from the policy
  • 40% of the population of Belo Horizonte report frequent intake of fruit and vegetables; the national average is just 32%
  • 2 million farmers have access to credit, 700.000 of these for the first time in their lives

Also shortlisted:

  • The policy of Belo Horizonte secures access to food through provision of free school meals and subsidised meals in designated restaurants, improved food distribution in poor parts of the city and support of local production
  • The Cuban policy of Urban Agriculture ensures access to land to guarantee sufficient production of food. It supports local production as well as research into sustainable farming technology
  • The Tuscan policy on the Protection and Promotion of the Heritage of Local Breeds and Plant Varieties secures the access to seed as a public property so that all farmers can cultivate seeds and keep them in order to communally protect and preserve seed variety and biodiversity.