Cairo: Children benefiting from national school meal programmes across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) increased by 22 percent in the past two years alone, despite conflict, economic downturn, and the region’s complex humanitarian landscape. Now reaching 23.5 million children, these programmes are emerging as a strategic investment in education, nutrition, and economic development.
According to EMM, the latest edition of the State of School Feeding Worldwide, a flagship biennial report released today by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), highlights the significant impact of these programmes. WFP is working alongside MENA governments who are leveraging school meals as a tool for both human and economic development. These programmes are crucial in a region facing economic pressures and humanitarian challenges.
The return on investment in school feeding extends beyond the classroom. Feeding millions of children creates employment opportunities for cooks and transporters, generates income for farmers and suppliers, and strengthens local economies. In Egypt, WFP-led initiatives are connecting school feeding to local agricultural production, ensuring stable income for farmers and reducing import dependency. In Jordan and Yemen, the WFP has launched Healthy Kitchens to provide home-grown school meals, creating jobs for women and supporting local agriculture.
The report’s release precedes the School Meals Coalition Global Summit in Brazil, where leaders will gather to discuss progress and address funding issues in low-income countries. MENA countries are active members of the School Meals Coalition, a global platform of over 100 governments and over 140 partners committed to expanding access to school meals by 2030. Countries like Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Yemen, and Lebanon are contributing to this momentum by sharing best practices and scaling up their programmes.
The WFP uses its operational expertise to support governments in strengthening their national systems. In Iraq, for instance, the transition of school meals programmes to full national ownership was achieved in 2023, with the Government of Iraq providing daily school meals to 775,686 school-aged children during the 2023-2024 school year. The government plans to expand coverage to 1.4 million children initially and eventually to all 6 million primary school-aged children.
Globally, school meal coverage has reached 466 million children, an increase of nearly 80 million since 2020. Funding has nearly doubled to $84 billion, with 99% coming from national budgets, highlighting governments’ strong investment in these programmes and their commitment to their children’s future.