Brasília, March 18, 2004 (Agência Brasil) - Specialists from all Brazilian states and representatives of other countries, such as China, India, and Italy, are gathered at the II National Conference on Food and Nutritional Security, which is being held from March 17-20, in Olinda, in Northeast Brazil, to suggest policies and propose solutions for the war against hunger.

As well as political goals, the conference, which was inaugurated in the presence of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will also discuss the nutritional education of low-income families to guarantee the effective elimination of the problem.

"It is not enough to assure access to food. It is necessary to teach the population about adequate and healthful eating habits," affirmed the president of the National Food Security Council (Consea), Luiz Marinho.

The first edition of the conference occurred ten years ago, under the leadership of the late sociologist, Herbert de Souza, who, at the time, launched the National Campaign to Combat Hunger, which placed the issue on the Brazilian socio-political agenda for the first time.

During the conference, the delegates and representatives of the Consea will prepare guidelines for the National Food and Nutritional Security Plan, which should be implanted by the end of the year.

Translator: David Silberstein