Factors associated with the purchase of family farming products for national school feeding program in Minas Gerais in 2017, Brazil

ABSTRACT: The National School Feeding Program (in abbreviated Portuguese: PNAE) states that ≥30% of the amount transferred by the National Fund for Education Development (in abbreviated Portuguese: FNDE) to the executing entities should be used to purchase products made from Family Farming (FF). This study aimed to identify the municipal characteristics associated with the compliance of the municipalities of Minas Gerais (MG) to this target in 2017. For this, data on municipal purchases of FF for the PNAE were obtained from the FNDE’s website. Sociodemographic, economic, and agricultural characteristics of the municipalities were associated with compliance to the PNAE’s goal. Approximately half (55.07%) of the municipalities complied with the FF purchase target, wherein carrying out programs or actions to encourage organic agriculture (29.8% vs. 22.6%, p=0.018) were associated with a greater compliance to this target, presenting the official rural union registration (76.4% vs. 68.8%, p=0.026) and the Municipal Inspection Service: (35.6% vs. 29.1%, p=0.048). Overall, a low compliance to the goal was observed in MG municipalities, and associations between certain agricultural management characteristics and goal fulfillment were evidenced.

Historical origins of modern vocal and instrumental performance in Ukraine at the beginning of the XXI century

The purpose of the article is to determine the historical origins of vocal-instrumental performance from ancient times to the present day, in revealing the influence of some prominent personalities on the further development of vocal and instrumental art and the selection of famous modern ensembles, which are the face of the late XX-early XXI century. Methodology. The research methodology is based on methods of analysis and synthesis, comparative method, method of historicism, and interpretation. The combination of such a technological process makes it possible to more fully disclose the research topic. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty lies in the systematization of the material on the development of vocal-instrumental performance in Ukraine from its origins to the beginning of the XXI century and the substantiation of the originality of performance in different historical circumstances. Conclusions. Performance as an aspect of the synthesis of the arts over the centuries has had various forms of self-expression. It developed in the conditions of real events, improved according to time, and acquired certain advantages at the turn of the century in different historical periods of spiritual upsurge. Kobzars, bandura players, chamber-instrumental and vocal-instrumental ensembles have passed a difficult way of professional growth and laid the foundation for further development of performing arts. The formation of the national school and the development of bandura performance in Ukraine took place thanks to the great work of the outstanding composer Mykola Lysenko, which inspired the creative work of Ukrainian artists Hnat Khotkevych, Serhiy Bashtan, and others. In the 70s of the XX century ensembles enriched their concert repertoire with arrangements of Ukrainian folk songs and compositions of outstanding composers of their time. Vocal-instrumental ensemble "DakhaBrakha", born in modern conditions at the beginning of the XXI century (2004) stylistically diversified the direction of its activities, synthesizing folk and contemporary music. Keywords: historical milestones of vocal-instrumental development performance, synthesis of arts, the figure of Gregory Skovoroda as a philosopher, composer and musician, activity of the founder of the national school Mykola Lysenko, bandura performance, Ukrainian group "DakhaBrakha".

Harnessing Public Food Procurement for Sustainable Rural Livelihoods in South Africa through the National School Nutrition Programme: A Qualitative Assessment of Contributions and Challenges

This paper examines how public food procurements contributes to sustainable rural livelihoods through local sourcing of school food, what has become known as ‘home-grown’ school feeding. Specifically, it draws on in-depth interviews to explore the contributions and challenges of using local farmers as suppliers for South Africa’s National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP) using the case of the Eastern Cape Province, the country’s poorest province. The study found that participating schools in rural areas benefit from local sourcing by way of using fresh vegetables in preparing meals thanks to the utilisation of a decentralised catering model in the Eastern Cape Province. Consequently, there is evidence of farmers participating in NSNP food market earning additional income and growing more vegetables on more land in some cases. However, even though the Eastern Cape Province uses a decentralised procurement model, it has no clear-cut programme to optimise the benefits of local sourcing for NSNP. It only ‘encourages’ schools to buy vegetables grown locally. This calls for pragmatism on the side of government to, through creative procurement and initiatives such as the Agri-Parks, use NSNP as a tool for making the South African food system more inclusive, drive down rural poverty and realise sustainable rural development.

The Efficacy and Cost-Effectiveness of Replacing Whole Apples with Sliced in the National School Lunch Program

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) serves 29.6 million lunches each day. Schools must offer ½ a cup of fruit for each lunch tray. Much of this fruit may be wasted, leaving the schools in a dilemma. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the consumption of whole vs. sliced apples and determine the cost-effectiveness of the intervention. Researchers weighed apple waste at baseline and three post-intervention time points in one rural Midwest school. The costs of the intervention were collected from the school. The cost-effectiveness analysis estimates how often apples need to be served to offset the costs of the slicing intervention. A total of (n = 313) elementary student students participated. Students consumed significantly more sliced as compared to whole apples in intervention months 3 (β = 21.5, p < 0.001) and 4 (β = 27.7, p < 0.001). The intervention cost was USD 299. The value of wasted apple decreased from USD 0.26 at baseline to USD 0.23 wasted at post-intervention. The school would need to serve 9403 apples during the school year (54 times) to cover the expenses of the intervention. In conclusion, serving sliced apples may be a cost-effective way to improve fruit consumption during school lunch.

A Study of Cultural Elements in High Level Chinese Language Textbooks for Primary National School

This study examines the cultural elements in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language (TCSL) based on six high-level of National Primary School’s Chinese Language (BCSK) textbooks, which are textbooks of BCSK KBSR (Primary School Integrated Curriculum) Standard four to Standard six and textbooks of BCSK KSSR (Primary School Standard Curriculum) Standard four to Standard six in order to investigate the changes of cultural elements content and describe the features of cultural elements in this two sets of high-level BCSK textbooks. Researcher has used library research methods and information technology methods to collect data and then use quantitative and qualitative analysis methods to calculate cultural elements in high-level BCSK textbooks by referenced to the criteria of classification of cultural elements which designed by researcher based on previous studies as well as the references of TCSL experts. The results showed that (1) high level BCSK KSSR textbooks are found that had more cultural elements for the total number of 622 compared to 522 in high-level BCSK KBSR textbook with the increasing of 19.16% and (2) high-level BCSK KSSR textbooks can be said to be more ideal to fostering communicative competence as the cultural elements in this set of BCSK textbooks are more geared towards communicative cultural elements with a record rate of 46.30% compared to 39.27% only in high-level BCSK KBSR textbooks.