The number of children receiving school meals through government -led programs has increased by 20 percent since 2020, found the latest edition of WFP’s flagship biennial report The State of School Recovery worldwide.
Now almost 80 million more children are able to enjoy nutritious meals in school, bringing the global total amount to approx. 466 million.
In addition to health and diet, national programs can benefit employment, agriculture and other sectors.
“School meals are so much more than just a record of nutritious food – important as it is. For the vulnerable children who receive them they are a way out of poverty and into a new world of learning and opportunity“Said Mrs. McCain.
“They have proven to be one of the smartest, most cost -effective investments that any nation can make to improve long -term health, education and financial prosperity for future generations,” she added.
Example of what is possible
The increase in the number of children receiving school meals comes thanks to the expansion of these programs internationally, and especially of countries that are part of the school meal coalition, a network led by over 100 governments with WFP as its secretariat.
Global funding for school meals has more than doubled and increases from $ 43 billion in 2020 to $ 84 billion last year. Africa leads the wave with an additional 20 million children on the continent now fed through national programs, but domestic funding remains still lower in low -income countries.
“The wave of national -funded school meal programs is a powerful sign of what is possible, even in challenging times. But in low -income countries where the needs are greatest, progress remains at risk as global aid shifts and domestic resources fall short,” said Carmen Burbano, director of school meals at WFP.
Meals improve the learning results
Children who are hungry may not go to school or can fight to focus, even if they do, according to the report. Providing meals in school can both incentive participation and help students remain committed and more easily absorb educational material.
The report found that school meals are a significantly more effective way to improve the quality of education compared to other popular programs and policies such as teacher education and tech input.
A nutritious diet has also been associated with increased attention spans, higher cognitive function and better participation.
“It is only now that we really recognize that schoolchildren and young people are key to their learning ability,” said Professor Donald Bundy, co-editor of the report, at a pressing briefing on Wednesday.
A catalyst for the economy
The report estimates that delivery of school meals to 466 million children generates about 7.4 million cooking jobs globally with further employment across logistics, agriculture and supply chains.
At national level, school meal programs typically generate about 1,500 jobs for every 100,000 children.
Preliminary findings in some African countries suggest that the programs are costly in terms of the benefits of the educational, health and nutrition sectors. In Malawi, for example, every $ 1 posted financial benefits that range to $ 2 to $ 18 depending on the district.
Local procurement of school food can also create reliable and predictable markets for small monitors and family farmers, which ultimately encourage the diversification of crops, increase economies in rural areas and promote sustainable agricultural practice.
