Spanish
Rome, Italy. – In a decisive step towards the continued improvement of child nutrition and food sustainability in the Dominican Republic, the Dominican government, through the National Institute of Student Welfare (INABIE), signed a technical cooperation agreement with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for the execution of the second stage of the project: “Healthy and Sustainable Schools: Innovation and Strengthening of the School Feeding Program (PAE)”, with an investment of US$3 million.
This agreement was signed by the FAO representative in the Dominican Republic, Rodrigo Castañeda Sepúlveda, and by the executive director of INABIE, Adolfo Pérez, within the framework of the participation of a Dominican delegation, headed by the Minister of Agriculture, Limber Cruz, in the World Food Forum 2025 and the 80th anniversary of that international organization, held in this city, from the 14th to the 17th of this month.
The general coordination of the project is in charge of INABIE, with the technical support of FAO and the participation of key institutions, such as the ministries of Education, Agriculture and Public Health, along with local governments, academies, family farming organizations, the private sector and community associations.
You can also read: 572 pounds of marijuana seized in Baní hidden in the back of a truck
The initiative aims to implement a comprehensive and innovative school feeding model that promotes healthy habits in children, strengthens food security, and links local production with student nutrition, through the PAE. The director of INABIE highlighted the project's progress and the importance of its continuation and strengthening for the benefit of the more than 2 million students and teachers in public schools. “All the components of that initiative, already underway or in the implementation phase, respond to a shared vision: to put students at the center of a fairer, safer, and more sustainable food system. It is not just about offering quality school meals, it is also the opportunity to train generations capable of transforming their environment, with a high level of commitment and awareness,” highlighted the public servant. He indicated that at INABIE they believe "in a well-being that transcends, that impacts today, but that transforms tomorrow. Therefore, each ration served, each workshop given, each garden installed, is a seed that we are planting in favor of a more sustainable, healthy and just future." The Dominican delegation is also made up of the director of Supérate, Gloria Reyes, as well as the directors of Health and Nutrition and Planning of INABIE, Luis Lizardo and Reinaldo Rincón, respectively, among other Dominican officials.Project Benefits
The second part of the Healthy and Sustainable Schools project involves the strengthening and expansion of the initiatives of the first agreement, which has included the installation of 50 school gardens, 6 Rainwater Harvesting and Utilization Systems (SCALL) in educational centers, to raise awareness among students and teachers about the sustainable use of hydraulic resources and their link with health, nutrition, and the environment. Likewise, a gastronomic laboratory will be equipped and put into service in Azua, built with resources from the first agreement, with the technical advice of FAO, which will be a training center for kitchen staff and where the students themselves can suggest recipes to implement in the School Feeding Program, thus increasing the acceptability of the foods included in the menu. In addition, the formation and training of the School Feeding and Nutrition Committees (CANE) will continue, composed of teachers, students, parents, and friends of the Educational Community whose main mission is to ensure that the School Feeding Program is properly implemented, of which 1184 have been created within the framework of the aforementioned agreement. Similarly, the project includes the remodeling of kitchens in focused educational centers and the implementation of technological tools to measure food waste, with the goal of optimizing the use of resources in each school. Training will also continue for teachers, students, and the entire educational community on food education topics, based on the Effective Food and Nutritional Guide (EAN-E).
