Nairobi: Twenty million more children in Sub-Saharan Africa are now receiving school meals through government-led programmes than in 2022, according to the latest edition of the State of School Feeding Worldwide, a flagship global biennial report released today by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
According to African Press Organization, the African continent has experienced the most significant rise among all regions, with the number of children receiving school meals increasing by over 30 percent from 66 million in 2022 to 87 million in 2024. Notably, countries like Chad, Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Rwanda have significantly expanded their school meal programmes, increasing the number of pupils receiving meals by up to six times.
Government investments in school meals in Sub-Saharan Africa have also seen a rise, marking a shift from dependency on foreign aid to viewing school meals as a strategic public investment in children's education, health, and national development. In Benin, where the government funds school meals predominantly, purchasing local food for these programmes contributed over US$23 million to the economy in 2024. Direct purchases from smallholder farmers increased by 800 percent, benefiting more than 23,000 people.
In Burundi, the WFP's local food procurement for school meals resulted in a 50 percent increase in farmers' incomes in 2024 and created employment opportunities across 67 cooperatives with 20,000 members. Meanwhile, in Malawi, every US$1 spent on school meals generates US$8 in economic benefits.
Sierra Leone has also made strides, with 40 percent of food for school meals last year coming from smallholder farmers, predominantly women and youth, providing a varied diet that includes rice, pulses, sweet potatoes, and vegetables. In Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, collaborative efforts by WFP, The Novo Nordisk Foundation, The Grundfos Foundation, and the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs are promoting diverse, eco-friendly diets for children by establishing 1,300 school gardens, training 61,500 smallholder farmers in climate-smart agriculture, and equipping schools with fuel-efficient cooking gear.
Eric Perdison, WFP's Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, emphasized that a meal at school serves as more than just food for a child; it is an investment in the family, community, and the nation's future. Local sourcing of food not only provides nutritious, culturally suitable meals for children but also supports smallholder farmers, fostering economic growth and national development.
Despite these advances, millions of children, especially in low-income African countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and South Sudan, still lack access to school meals due to limited domestic funding and reliance on dwindling external donor support. WFP remains committed to prioritizing children in these fragile settings, ensuring the direct delivery of school meals to maintain their access to education and nutrition amid global uncertainties and reduced funding.
The report is released ahead of the second School Meals Coalition Global Summit in Brazil, scheduled for 18-19 September, where leaders will convene to evaluate progress and mobilize further action.
