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Through its multiple poverty combat actions and programs, Zero Hunger aims at ensuring social inclusion for more than 11.2 million economically disadvantaged families in the nation (data by Pnad 2001 – IBGE). Among its basic precepts, are to improve access to education and health, establish job and income generation policies and encourage the implementation of sustainable development programs in both countryside and cities. In order to expand the programs and ensure that their development remains compatible with local reality, the Federal Government established partnerships with state and municipal governments. In addition, NGOs, private companies, religious institutions and trade unions undertake several local actions of structural and emergency nature, thus allowing millions of people to have access to basic rights. Main actions Apart from improving the population’s living conditions, social inclusion policies and programs also foster sustainable development. As such, Zero Hunger actions, including Bolsa Familia Program, the income transfer program that came to replace the previous administration’s Food Card, have great impact on local economies. By increasing the amount of money in circulation, they benefit small businesses and have a positive effect on municipal and state tax collection. The incentive provided to family farming through mechanisms that insure income and support the commercialization of products have also had positive effects. It is estimated that the Milk Program alone, which acquires 775 thousand liters of milk per day of small producers, is responsible for the maintenance and creation of 12 thousand jobs. Zero Hunger is the mobilizing environment and conducting axis of programs and actions covering five large areas: food and nutritional security, citizen income, structuring programs, emergency actions and citizen education. Several programs stand out among the set of actions intended to combat structural causes of poverty, among them: Family Farming Program for Purchasing Foodstuffs, Building of Wells in Semi-Arid Region, Literate Brazil program, expansion of lines of credit for technical assistance and harvest insurance programs for family farmers, and dissemination of nutritional education and fight against food wastage. The free issuance of civil registration certificates is another Zero Hunger action. Small actions are also undertaken to allow poor families to have access to adequate nourishment. Food baskets are distributed to specific populations such as the encamped members of landless movements, the remaining quilombo inhabitants and indigenous populations. The number of families that benefited from old income transfer programs was increased as the amounts were transferred. Today these income transfers are unified under the Bolsa Familia program. Finally, the building of popular restaurants and food banks, among others, was encouraged. |
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