C
onsumption of rice in Bra-
zil has been falling drastical-
ly year after year. Over the
past two decades, it fell about
17%, from 60 kilograms per
person a year (from 1989 to 1993) to 48.8
kilograms per person a year (from 2009 to
2013). The decline is a cause for concern
for the sector, which is engaged in initia-
tives aimed at putting an end to this trend
and encourage the Brazilian population to
consume the cereal. Oneof themost recent
efforts toward this end is the creationof the
Highly-Valued Rice Program (Provarroz),
launched in 2015 by the Rio Grande do Sul
Rice Institute (Irga), in a partnership with
the entire supply chain of the State.
“The numbers hint at a change in the
pattern of life of modern society”, says Irga
commercial director Tiago Sarmento Bara-
ta. In light of the urbanization and global-
ization phenomenon, which plays an im-
portant role in the change of eating habits,
Provarroz aims to make people have a
grasp of the value of the cereal, highlight-
ing its nutritional and functional character-
istics. “If Brazilians consumed more rice,
such problems as excessive weight, glu-
ten related diseases, pathologies stem-
ming from improper eating habits would
be greatly reduced”, he states.
Towards the target of every action plan,
all institutions give their contribution and
act jointly, seeking to reach the biggest
number possible of well-informed people.
According to Barata, the first target pub-
In addition to creating awareness
among the healthcare professionals and
opinion makers, the Highly-Valued Rice
Program (Provarroz) conducts illustra-
tive lectures in schools, educating the
children on the functional attributes of
rice and its importance in the daily diet.
In parallel, the program also trains lunch
ladies in the use of rice flour and the ce-
real itself in different preparations. “We
always try to encourage people to con-
sume this noble cereal”, argues agribusi-
ness master Tiago Sarmento Barata.
The initiative is also focused on the
media, responsible for giving publicity to
the nutritional value of the cereal, giving
emphasis to the best type of rice for every
person: white rice (rich in starch), whole
rice (reduces abdominal fat), wild rice (re-
duces cholesterol levels), red rice (is good
for the gastrointestinal tract), parboiled
rice (recommended component for dia-
betes diets) and black rice (prevents car-
diovascular diseases).
n
n
n
Provarroz initiatives
Rice consumption per capita dropped 17% over the past 20 years in Brazil
Placing
value
onrice
Withtheaimtoencouragepeople
toconsumethecereal,twoyearsago,
theIrgalaunchedtheHighly-Valued
RiceProgram(Provarroz)
lic consists of opinion makers in the health-
care area, likedoctors, nutritionists andpro-
fessionals of the physical education groups
– viewed as information multipliers for their
credibility among the population, in general.
In big hospitals in Porto Alegre, displays fea-
turing the main benefits of the cereal were
placedonthedinner tables at thedininghall
of the employees – directives equally dis-
played in restaurants throughout theState.
“Inmyopinion, oneof themost relevant
initiatives so far took place in 2016, when
the Provarroz attended the Brazilian Nutri-
tion Congress”, he stresses. “Two thousand
nutritionists attended the lecture on the
benefits of rice, given by nutritionist Gabri-
el de Carvalho”. With regard to the opinion
makers, the idea is to keep these profes-
sionals abreast since their academic years.
Once a semester, medical, nutritional and
physical education students, from several
universities in the capital city, have lessons
that highlight the characteristics of this ce-
real on behalf of people’s health.
85
