Programa Fome Zero e o paradigma da segurança alimentar: Ascensão e queda de uma coalizão?

Abstract

The paper examines the design process and the progressive abandonment of the Hunger Zero Program (Fome Zero - HZP) as main strategic line for the actions of the federal government between 2003 and 2004. The objective is to analyze the ideas that underpinned the structure of political food security and hypotheses on crisis program and strategic redirection for the unification of the cash transfer programs that led to the creation of the Bolsa Família. The research methodology consists of the analysis of primary qualitative data (semi-structured interviews with policy program) and secondary data (newspaper reports and publications produced by expert researchers in the subject and analytical work on HZP). The theoretical framework used is the cognitive and post-positivist policy analysis. After examining the development of food security paradigm at both the international and domestic levels, the present study focuses on analyzing four explanatory hypotheses concerning the HZP crisis: previous institutional arrangements, conflict between paradigms, loss of influence in the "food security" coalition and programmatic complexity of the program. It is argued that the program is an important element to understand not only the political game and managerial problems faced by the newly established government at the time, but the contest of ideas and paradigms (Campbell 1998, Hall 1993) in which actors and coalitions (Sabatier and Jenkins-Smith 1993) seek to influence of anti-hunger and poverty policies in during Lula's first term.