Abu dhabi: Children benefiting from national school meal programmes across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) increased by 22% in the past two years, 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 Emirates News Agency, the latest edition of the State of School Feeding Worldwide, a biennial report released by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), highlights the growth and impact of these school feeding initiatives. WFP Regional Director for MENA and Eastern Europe, Samer Abdeljaber, emphasized the importance of partnering with MENA governments, who are leveraging school meals as tools for both human and economic development.
Particularly in conflict-affected countries, school meals often serve as the only reliable source of nutrition for children and a vital incentive for school attendance. The report acknowledges the immense challenges in delivering school meals in areas of active conflict or siege and highlights the broader economic impact. School meals are proving to be one of the most cost-effective public investments, generating between $7 and $35 in economic returns for every $1 spent. Globally, government-run school meal programmes support an estimated 7.4 million cooking jobs.
Abdeljaber further stated that the return on investment in school feeding extends beyond the classroom, creating jobs for cooks and transporters, income for farmers and suppliers, and strengthening local economies. The report comes ahead of the School Meals Coalition Global Summit in Brazil next week, where leaders will gather to accelerate progress and address funding gaps 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. Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Yemen, and Lebanon are among the countries contributing to this momentum, sharing best practices and scaling up their programmes.
Globally, school meal coverage has reached 466 million children, up nearly 80 million from 2020. Funding has nearly doubled to $84 billion, with 99% coming from national budgets, underscoring governments' strong investment in these programmes and their children's future.