The initiative is a community-led effort, independent of government mandates or donor-driven campaigns. It is steadily transforming school nutrition through the regular inclusion of locally sourced foods such as bananas and pumpkins.
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No matter what’s on the menu, whether it’s rice with a side of grilled fish, ugali topped with sautéed kale or pasta in a tomato sauce, one fact holds true: school meals deliver far-reaching benefits. Beyond supporting child health, nutrition, and education, school meals have the potential to drive countries toward more sustainable, climate-resilient, and inclusive food systems.
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Why do children drop out of school, and what helps them stay? These questions are at the heart of education policy, especially in a country like India, where universal school enrolment and retention remains a significant challenge.
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Across Africa and around the world, school meal programs face an ongoing balancing act of ensuring food safety and quality while managing limited budgets. These constraints can make it difficult to introduce fresh fruits and vegetables into school meals, despite their crucial role in children’s nutrition and development.
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With less than five years remaining, the world is at a critical juncture in achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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Spring 2025 is in full swing, and it’s already been meaningful for the global school meal community. GCNF proudly represented school meals at various events, including the Nutrition for Growth (N4G) Summit and the World Bank-IMF Spring Meetings.
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The Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF) is pleased to announce the release of the 2024 Global Child Nutrition Forum Report, detailing the key discussions, insights, and actions that emerged from the Global Child Nutrition Forum.
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The Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF) invites you to attend the Global Child Nutrition Forum taking place in Osaka, Japan from 9 through 12 December 2024! This four-day learning exchange is organized by GCNF and International Child Nutrition Japan in collaboration with the Government of Japan and the School Meals Coalition (SMC).
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Blog by Alissa Rutkowski, GCNF Communications Coordinator
According to the latest School Meal Programs Around the World report, 82.2 million children across Africa received school meals in the 2022 school year. This remarkable reach is especially meaningful as we celebrate the 10th African Day of School Feeding and reflect on a decade of progress in strengthening education, nutrition, and economic development through these vital programs.
The third School Meal Programs Around the World report, published by the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), presents key findings from the 2024 Global Survey of School Meal Programs ©.
Africa’s school meal programs lead in several areas, including:
Across Africa, school meal programs are making an impact:
This decade of commitment reflects the power of school meals to transform lives and communities. For deeper dive into school meal programs across the continent, explore GCNF’s Country Reports and School Meal Programs in Africa infographic highlighting key successes and opportunities.
Click the image to access the School Meal Programs in Africa infographic
The Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF) is a US-based 501(c)3 organization founded in 2006 that envisions a future where school meals sustainably nourish all children and help them, their families, communities, and nations to thrive.
GCNF provides governments and their partners with knowledge, tools, and connections so all children can access high-quality school meal programs that contribute to national educational, agricultural, economic, social protection, health and nutrition goals.
Each year on March 1st, the Africa Day of School Feeding highlights the transformative role of school meal programs in enhancing education, nutrition, and economic development across the continent. Established by the African Union in 2016, this year marks the 10th anniversary of the celebration, recognizing a decade of progress in using school meals as a powerful tool to improve student learning, boost school attendance, and support local food systems. By providing nutritious meals in schools, governments and communities across Africa help ensure that children have the energy and focus they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
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