Government launches guide for families at risk of hunger

The federal government has launched a guide to support states and municipalities in organizing the identification, referral and follow-up of families at risk of food insecurity. The initiative brings together tools that have already been used and details an integrated flow between health, social care and food security. The goal is to ensure that any family seeking public power receives the necessary guidance, regardless of the gateway.

The protocol was established in 2025 and is structured in seven stages. The proposal is that there be articulation between the different sectors to make the necessary referrals, whatever the door through which the family reaches the public power. With this, we seek to prevent people in a situation of vulnerability from being without care due to lack of communication between the areas.

How the identification of families works

The screening is being applied to visits of Family Health teams, in the care in Basic Health Units and in other Primary Care services. Two questions are asked about the food situation of the household. When a person aged 18 or over answers “yes” to both questions, the household is identified as at risk of food insecurity.

After registration in the health system, the information is crossed with data from the Single Registry. The compatibility allows to locate, among the people registered in the Single Registry, those linked to households identified as at risk of food insecurity. For those who are not registered or need to update the registration, the protocol also provides for the performance of social assistance through active search.

Numbers reveal worrying scenario

From November 2023 to August 2026, Brazil registered more than 2 million households at risk of food insecurity by the TRIA. This corresponds to 6.6% of the households in which the questionnaire was applied. The North region concentrates the highest percentage of households, with 16.2%, followed by the Northeast region (11.1%).

In the cut by state, the three states with the most households at risk of food security are: Amapá (21%), Pará (20.9%) and Maranhão (18.4%). The data reinforces the need for coordinated action, especially in the most affected regions. The guide seeks to offer a structured path so that states and municipalities can act more efficiently.

Integration between sectors is key

The strategy details a flow that begins at identification, passes through registration and arrives at referral to social programs. The idea is that health, social care and food security work together. This prevents the family from having to go through several organs without getting a response.

The guide also guides on how to make the active search of those who are not in the Single Registry. This step is critical to reaching the most vulnerable people, who often do not seek services spontaneously. The integration of data and networking are pointed out as essential for the success of the initiative.

What changes in practice

With the protocol, it is expected that municipalities will be able to better organize the flow of care. Health teams now play a central role in early identification. Social assistance acts in the registration and updating of data, ensuring that families access the benefits to which they are entitled.

Food security, in turn, comes with the offer of specific programs, such as food distribution and nutrition education actions. The guide does not create new programs, but organizes the way for existing ones to reach those in need. The source did not detail which specific programs are triggered in each step.

Challenges and next steps

The implementation of the protocol depends on the engagement of states and municipalities. The training of teams and the integration of information systems are challenges pointed out by managers. However, the existence of a national guide is seen as a breakthrough in standardizing actions.

For the citizen, the main change is the possibility of being identified and referred more quickly. Those who seek a Basic Health Unit, for example, may have their food situation evaluated and, if necessary, be directed to social assistance. The integrated flow reduces the chance that someone will go unattended.

The guide is available for consultation by public managers. The expectation is that, over time, screening data will fuel more effective policies to fight hunger. The source did not specify timelines for the evaluation of the results.

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