INMED Launches Nutrition Program for Preschool Children and Mothers in Brazil

In partnership with the Monsanto Fund, INMED Partnerships for Children/INMED Brasil (INMED) today launched a comprehensive program to improve nutrition and access to healthful food for mothers and young children in Brazil. Called Crescer Saudável (Growing Healthy), the initiative was announced at the Irmã Dourado preschool in the city of Petrolina, Pernambuco state. The Monsanto Fund has committed $3 million to support the 3-year program.

Through the Monsanto Fund’s support, INMED will establish vegetable gardens at 125 preschools, as well as provide nutrition education for children and resources for mothers, teachers, food preparers and local health professionals to help encourage long-term, healthy eating habits—both in schools and at home. Community health agents also will be trained to provide nutrition education directly to pregnant women and mothers. The program is expected to benefit more than 58,000 people in Petrolina, including 33,000 children ages 6 months to 5 years.

“Monsanto Fund's focus on food and nutrition security – both by supporting nutrition education and providing increased access to healthy, nutritious food – demonstrates its commitment to improving the quality of life in Petrolina and the many other municipalities where we’ve partnered over the last 17 years,” said Joyce Capelli, President of INMED Brasil.

INMED has collaborated with the Monsanto Fund to implement school and community gardening as well as nutrition training via a variety of highly successful programs. “Growing Healthy will engage families and communities in proven and pioneering approaches to health and nutrition, furthering our global mission to deliver impact that truly transforms the lives of children,” added Linda Pfeiffer, President and CEO of INMED Partnerships for Children.

The Monsanto Fund has a 5-decade track record of partnering with NGOs and nonprofit humanitarian organizations to provide sustainable assistance to communities in need around the world. “This program is an important step in our long-term commitment to make a balanced meal more accessible for everyone – not just focusing on the treatment of a problem, but an investment toward preventing malnutrition and health problems in the future,” said Al Mitchell, President of the Monsanto Fund. “With Monsanto Fund’s resources, the expertise of INMED Brasil and incredible support from the Petrolina community, we hope that Crescer Saudável will stand out as a truly collaborative and impactful program that other communities around the world can emulate.”

About INMED Partnerships for Children

INMED is an international humanitarian nonprofit organization that has transformed the lives of millions of children and their families in more than 100 countries since 1986 via multi-sector partnerships that catalyze comprehensive solutions to food insecurity, malnutrition, climate change, disease and poverty. INMED and INMED Brasil (a registered Brazilian NGO) have been working for the children and families of Brazil for 24 years. Visit INMED Partnerships for Children at www.INMED.org and INMED Brasil at www.INMED.org.br.

About Monsanto Fund

The Monsanto Fund, the philanthropic arm of Monsanto Company, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening the communities where farmers and Monsanto Company employees live and work. Visit the Monsanto Fund at www.monsantofund.org. For more information on Monsanto Fund’s Food & Nutrition Security initiatives and other commitments, please review Monsanto’s 2016 Sustainability Report.