Canadian University Projects in International Development Database (CUPID)

Africa

Angola

• Building Capacity in Food Security in Brazil

Building Capacity in Food Security in Brazil

Project purpose:
The project aims to increase the capacity of the Reference Centre in Food and Nutrition Security (CERESAN) at the Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro to support domestic food and nutrition security councils at the local and state levels in Brazil as well as in Angola. It also aims to increase the capacity of the Brazilian centre to deliver online university credit courses in food security, to support the training of community agents in food security in Brazil and Angola, and to implement and monitor community-based projects in food security.

Key results to date:
Four online food security courses credited by Ryerson were developed and 7 instructors were trained. At least 204 students registered in the courses and 4 received gender training. Exceeding original plans, the State University of Ceará in Brazil now offers a graduate specialization building on these courses. In Angola, 34 participants completed a one-week course. Intensive outreach to government, NGO and community agents was done in partnership with 4 Brazilian NGOs, 1 Angolan NGO, three Brazilian universities and 1 Angolan university, and a Brazilian private sector company that provides employment for some graduates. Thirty-one workshops were held, training 305 Brazilians and Angolans. Four Brazilian public engagement seminars were held, as well as four scholarly seminars (one in Angola), attended by 387 people. Seventeen articles were published and existing materials gathered. Thirty-six students built research capacity. Four pilot projects were established. Angolan partners and the University Agostinho Neto worked with the Ministry of Agriculture Food Security Office on the development of the 2009 National Strategy for Food and Nutrition Security. A series of intensive courses were taught in Cape Verde.