Major Argentinean biotech, agrochemical companies invest in education campaigns to tackle poor public image

Date:07-26-2016

Major biotech and agchem companies have joined the public in Argentina in supporting a campaign that “seeks to promote healthy habits to prevent and reduce obesity and to improve the quality of life throughout the education community.” The initiative “My Healthy School” is also a clear effort to improve the image of these companies among Argentine families.

The country is a bit contradictory in its relationship with multinationals. On one hand, they face prejudice and rejection from some sectors, especially since Argentina is governed by populist and leftist politicians. On the other hand, this criticism does not reflect poorly on the retail consumption of the food products offered by these brands.

The program “My Healthy School” is being coordinated by the International Institute of Sciences of Life in Argentina and the municipality of Buenos Aires. It has also received support from the ministries of health and education. Monsanto, Basf, Bayer, Dow AgroSciences, and Syngenta, among others, have all participated in the program.

The public schools of Argentina’s capital distributed to students on April 22 a statement for their parents to sign, authorizing their participation in the initiative. The evaluation, as part of the program, presents a “set of questions on food habits and body measurements, such as weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure.”

One of the first campaigns of “My Healthy School” was related to water consumption. “Water is best,” read a pamphlet stamped with a drawing of a child holding a glass. Other initiatives pushed the practices of physical exercise and personal hygiene.

The administration council of the International Institute of Sciences of Life in Argentina is headed by a member of Monsanto and includes doctors working with Nestlé, Pepsi, and Coca-Cola. The conferences of this organization are sponsored by a biotechnology multinational and by Bayer, Dow AgroSciences, DuPont, and Syngenta.