● The District Secretariat for Social Integration strengthens the Public Policy on Food and Nutrition Security (PPSAN), prioritizing food support, the promotion of healthy habits, community agriculture and the participation of small producers in local purchases.
● Teacher Paula Caicedo highlights the importance of food education to strengthen food citizenship, promoting access to accurate information and conscious decisions about food.
Bogotá, DC, November 18, 2024. Progressively reducing food insecurity and malnutrition in the inhabitants of Bogotá is the main objective of the District Public Policy on Food and Nutrition Security (PPSAN): “Building Food Citizenship”, 2019-2031” and one of the goals of the District Secretariat of Social Integration.
The PPSAN proposes lines of action such as improving the nutritional status of children under five years of age, family and community agriculture, the participation of small and medium-sized producers in local public purchases, increasing the practice of breastfeeding and promotion of healthy eating and nutrition practices, at all times of the life course.
Taking into account the above, the Nutrition Subdirectorate of the Secretariat of Social Integration has been contributing to strengthening healthy habits and lifestyles in the population benefiting from the services, with food support, through the development of Information, Education and Communication (IEC), which favor the appropriation of appropriate practices.
In this regard, and with the purpose of expanding the frameworks of understanding of the guiding concepts of the PPSAN, such as Food Citizenship and to enrich the IEC strategies, the teacher and assistant of the Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Paula Caicedo highlighted that there is an interesting relationship between the processes of food and nutritional education and the concept of food citizenship, as people have the right to have truthful, accessible and easy-to-understand information that allows them to make better decisions at the moment. choosing and consuming food.
“Education processes must be accompanied by mass communication campaigns that persuade people to have notions of their rights and duties regarding food,” he noted.
Likewise, he indicated that “moving towards food citizenship implies, among other aspects, mobilizing to access food that promotes my health and that of the people who make up my home and developing actions that contribute to ensuring that the immediate environment, for example, the neighborhood, can offer a healthy diet, without ultra-processed and friendly to the planet.”
With the purpose of contributing to the reduction of food insecurity in Bogotá households, it is relevant to note that the Bogotá sin Hambre 2.0 program and the Secretariat of Social Integration continue to strengthen food support services, including actions to promote healthy practices in food, nutrition and physical activity.
What measures are being taken to ensure community involvement and feedback in the implementation and evaluation of the PPSAN strategies?
– Can you tell us more about the Public Policy on Food and Nutrition Security (PPSAN) and how it aims to address food insecurity and malnutrition in Bogotá?
– What are some of the specific strategies outlined in the PPSAN to improve nutritional status, increase access to healthy foods, and promote sustainable agriculture practices?
– How does food education fit into the overall vision of the PPSAN, and what role do you see it playing in building food citizenship?
– What are some of the challenges facing efforts to promote food citizenship and healthy eating habits in urban areas like Bogotá?
– How can community outreach and educational programs help to overcome these challenges and engage more people in making informed food choices?
– Can you share any success stories or positive impacts that have resulted from the implementation of the PPSAN thus far?
– What role do you think government agencies and local communities can play in collaborating to strengthen food security initiatives?
– Are there any ongoing research or monitoring efforts to assess the effectiveness of the PPSAN in achieving its objectives?
– Looking ahead, what are the next steps for the District Secretariat of Social Integration in terms of improving food security and nutrition in Bogotá?
