EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - Global Child Nutrition Foundation

Cape Verde
Community education and capacity building will ensure
the school feeding program’s sustainability.
In 2006, Cape Verde decided to develop a national strategy
for school feeding. The government established a national
commission to implement the program. This commission
monitors school feeding, prevents duplication of effort, and
promotes coordination among the Health, Education, and
Social Affairs Ministries.
Community education is an important part of the country’s
school feeding program. A campaign has begun that illustrates
why program continuity is necessary. This community
sensitization work will ensure the program’s sustainability over
time.
One of the major challenges highlighted was capacity. Even if
a country has resources to support school feeding, it must also
have the capacity to manage them. The WFP is currently
providing technical assistance to Cape Verde in this area.
Rwanda
A national school feeding policy is integral to achieving
Rwanda’s future economic goals.
Rwanda’s school feeding program, funded by the WFP, has
been implemented in 300 schools and benefits 300,000
children. Now the country wants to transition to a nationally led
school feeding program.
Rwanda has developed a school nutrition policy that
incorporates meals, school farming and gardening, nutrition
Scaling Up Sustainability: Linking School Feeding with Agriculture
Development to Maximize Food Security
May 3-7, 2011
Nairobi, Kenya
© 2011 GCNF and PCD. All rights reserved. Page 26
education, and water sanitation. This policy is aligned with the
government’s Vision 2020, which seeks to transform Rwanda
into a middle-income country.
In addition to providing strategic direction, the school feeding
policy also informs planning and prevents duplication of effort
by stakeholders. One of the challenges facing Rwanda,
however, is school feeding program sustainability. Looking
ahead, 70% of the school feeding budget must come from the
community.
Malawi
School feeding is well integrated into Malawi’s national
policies, but greater interaction is needed with local
agricultural markets.
Malawi’s school feeding strategy began in 1995. Based on
positive results, a Presidential Directive was issued to expand
the program to rural areas.
Today, the school feeding program is guided by the National
Nutrition Policy. School feeding has also been integrated into
Malawi’s Growth Strategy and the National Education Sector
Plan. Four key areas of concern regarding the school feeding
program are cost containment, sustainability, financial
security, and an implementation roadmap.
Looking ahead, agricultural markets must be linked to school
feeding programs. Home grown school feeding programs can
provide new opportunities for smallholder farmers. Increased
agricultural production is the focus of Malawi’s agriculture
program and its participation in the CAADP compact.