Participating institutions

Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP)

CIIPEC Researchers

Ana Victoria Román, PhD.

Manuel Ramírez-Zea, PhD.

Carlos Mendoza Montano, PhD.

Wilton Pérez, PhD.

Other collaborating researchers

No other collaborting researchers

Funding agency

International Development Centre –IDRC-

General objective

The general objective of this project is to increase the sustainable supply, quality and consumption of fruits and vegetables in public schools of metropolitan areas of Guatemala and Costa Rica through innovative inter-sectorial collaboration and partnerships between producers, retailers, school authorities, parents, and students.

Methodology

This project has two phases: The first one is exploratory in order to gather the information required for the design of the intervention, the second phase bases on carrying-out a school intervention using a quasi-experimental design.

First phase

This phase of the study will provide information about the optimum fruits and vegetable supply chain to implement on the intervention at the school level. Some of the questions to be answered during this phase are:

·         Which are the production and organization capabilities of the fruit and vegetable producers

·         Which are potential fruits and vegetable supply systems available at the schools in Costa Rica and Guatemala? 

·         Which are the characteristics of the fruits and vegetable supply systems currently used on the school feeding programs? 

·         Which are the characteristics of the fruits and vegetable supply systems currently used at the school cafeterias? 

·         Is the current supply system capable to assure the permanent supply of innocuous fruit and vegetables?

·         Which is the impact of the fruit and vegetables supply system on the social, environmental and economic context? 

·         Which are the necessary adjustments to the fruit and vegetables supply system before the implementation of the intervention? 

Second phase:

This phase consists on a formative Research (focus groups and in-depth interviews) to know about the perceptions of the educative community in relation to barriers and motivators to the consumption of fruits and vegetables in children at school.  

Third phase:

Implementation of the intervention at the selected schools.

Project duration

2017-2019