Política Municipal de Alimentação e Nutrição da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro: uma narrativa sobre seu processo de formulação

Abstract

In June 2009, the formulation process of Municipal Policy on Food and Nutrition (PMAN) was officially started in Rio de Janeiro. Led by the Institute of Nutrition Annes Dias (INAD), an agency of the Municipal Health Service (SMS) and Technical Department of Food and Nutrition in this municipality, its development was completed in December 2011. The document was then forwarded for approval by the SMS, which still not occurred. This study examined the formulation process of PMAN, seeking to characterize the political-institutional context of its production. With a constructionist science view, we performed documentary analysis and interviews with actors involved in this process. The documents were analyzed field diaries, resulting from the participation of the researcher as collaborator in this process; records of meetings; versions of the document at various stages of their development; among others. The interviews included managers of INAD and SMS, professionals from various fields and representatives of civil society and the Municipal Councils of Health and Food and Nutrition Security (SAN). The analysis shows the recognition of the uniqueness of INAD as a technical area and its consolidated work in the area of food and nutrition, carrying rich discussion processes in the municipality. The analysis also points to a relative decisional autonomy to implement their actions. However, in addition, interviews revealed that INAD seems to face, especially in the present management of SMS, some institutional fragility, expressed by possible changes in its formal inclusion in the institutional arrangement of the Municipality; the current position in the organization chart of SMS, short of its mission, and also for delays in the approval of PMAN. This political-institutional context was not a determining factor for the formulation of PMAN, although interviews suggest that it was considered for the construction process to strengthen a network of political support. Although the initial choice of INAD was for a collective participation process, interviews revealed low level of information about the final document of PMAN and on the progress of its approval, which seems to signal that decision making on proposals submitted by the actors became centralized in INAD over time. Despite the delay in the approval of PMAN, it seems that there isn´t a pressure network by his signature by the actors involved, depending exclusively on internal mediations of INAD in the SMS. The analysis of this experience allows us to identify difficulties and tensions that institutions intersectoral character may face, given the sectoral limit in which are embedded, in a given political and institutional context. Moreover, it points out the political strategies that support actors in the processes of militancy and challenges to foster social participation.