This project will finance the processing and donation of jackfruit-based meals from Sinal do Vale to community kitchens and social projects in Rio de Janeiro. The initiative addresses food insecurity among vulnerable populations while promoting sustainable plant-based nutrition and strengthening local value chains.
Rio de Janeiro faces significant challenges related to food insecurity, with thousands of families depending daily on community kitchens ("cozinhas comunitarias") and local social projects for access to meals. These programs play a vital role in guaranteeing the right to food but often face difficulties in maintaining consistent supply of nutritious products.
Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) represents a scalable and sustainable solution. Abundant in the Atlantic Forest region, jackfruit is highly nutritious, rich in fiber, and a natural plant-based alternative to meat. Despite its availability, large volumes of the fruit remain underutilized. Sinal do Vale, a center for socio-environmental innovation, has developed processing capacity to transform jackfruit into frozen, ready-to-use products under the Madre Frutos brand.
By demonstrating the viability of jackfruit as a large-scale food security solution, this initiative establishes a replicable model that integrates nutrition, sustainability, and community development. The project will contribute to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 (Zero Hunger), 3 (Good Health and Well-being), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action). This project has the potential to produce up to 40000 meals in less then one year.
This project has provided additional documentation in a DOCX file (projdoc.docx).
