This case study is part of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose’s (UCL IIPP) publication series.
Explore more working papers, case studies and policy reports here.
Brazil’s National School Feeding Programme: Leveraging public procurement to drive sustainable food systems transformations | UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP) | Case Study
Authors:
- Eduardo Spanó | Co-executive Director and Founder of Instituto Jataí
- Mariana Mazzucato | Professor in the Economics of Innovation and Public Value, University College London and Founding Director of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose
This case study is part of a wider project on school meals led by Professor Mariana Mazzucato and her team at the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose, with funding from the World Food Programme. The insights from this work informed the report ‘A Mission-Oriented Approach to School Meals: An Opportunity for Cross-Departmental and Multi-Sector Industrial Strategy’, published in September 2025 by Professor Mariana Mazzucato and Sarah Doyle.
Case Summary:
Location and time period
Brazil, 1955-2024
The policy problem
In the 1950s, Brazil faced alarming levels of hunger and malnutrition, particularly among children. This context of widespread food insecurity prompted the federal government to launch the first national school meal initiative, known as the Campanha de Merenda Escolar. From inception, the programme aimed to combat child hunger while also establishing a system of public food procurement capable of serving the entire national territory. Over the following decades, the initiative evolved in scope, scale, and institutional design, gradually consolidating into what is now the National School Feeding Programme (Programa Nacional de Alimentação Escolar: PNAE).One of the world’s largest such initiatives, PNAE now operates in around 150,000 public schools across the country.
Main topics/themes in this case
- Public procurement
- Food security
- Public policy innovation
- School feeding/meal programmes
Read this case if you…
- Are exploring how public procurement can be used as a strategic policy tool to support inclusive and sustainable economic development.
- Want to understand how public food programmes can simultaneously address food security, rural development, and environmental sustainability.
- Are seeking lessons on how to design and implement procurement frameworks that promote productive inclusion, reduce inequalities, and support healthier and more sustainable food systems.
- Are interested in the challenges and opportunities of operationalising mission-oriented policies within a federated governance structure.
Reference:
This case study can be referenced as follows: Spanó, E. and Mazzucato, M. (2026). Brazil’s National School Feeding Programme: Leveraging public procurement to drive sustainable food systems transformation. UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose. IIPP Case Study.
This case study is part of the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose’s (UCL IIPP) publication series.
Explore more working papers, case studies and policy reports here.