Governments across sub-Saharan Africa have stepped up efforts to fight hunger in schools, providing meals to nearly 20 million additional children over the past two years, according to the World Food Programme (WFP). This increase marks a shift away from heavy dependence on foreign aid toward a stronger commitment to education and nutrition.
The region recorded the largest global rise in school feeding, climbing by almost a third to reach 87 million children in 2024. Countries like Ethiopia, Rwanda, Madagascar, and Chad managed to expand school meals sixfold during the period, despite facing poverty and other challenges.
“Government investments in school meals … (signal) a significant shift from reliance on foreign aid to recognising school meals as a strategic public investment in children’s education (and) health,” the WFP report stated.
Why Are School Meals So Important for Africa’s Children?
School feeding programs are more than just a meal. They improve classroom attendance, support children’s health, and give parents an incentive to keep their kids in school. The WFP called the expansion a rare positive development at a time when the continent faces rising hunger caused by climate-related disasters, conflict, and soaring food prices.
A recent U.N. report revealed that more than one in five Africans, about 307 million people, are chronically malnourished. Projections warn that by 2030, Africa could account for 60 percent of the world’s hungry population.
How Do Local Communities Benefit from School Feeding Programs?
The WFP highlighted that school feeding initiatives also strengthen local economies. In Benin, for example, government purchases of local food for school programs injected more than $23 million into the economy in 2024. In Sierra Leone, over a third of school meals came directly from smallholder farmers, boosting livelihoods and supporting local agriculture.
What Challenges Remain for Expanding School Meals?
Despite the progress, millions of children remain without access to school meals, particularly in low-income countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Somalia, and South Sudan. The report warned that donor support continues to decline as global aid budgets shrink, leaving the poorest children most at risk.
While challenges remain, the rapid expansion of school meals across Africa shows that with government commitment, education and nutrition can be transformed hand in hand, creating opportunities for the next generation.
By Risper Akinyi
