Latest news on home grown school feeding programme

Here are some latest news and updates on the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) in Nigeria:

Recent Developments:

  1. Scaling up: The HGSFP has been scaled up to reach more schools and children across the country. As of 2022, the programme has been implemented in over 54,000 schools, feeding over 9.5 million children daily. (Source: National Bureau of Statistics, 2022)
  2. New States: The programme has been introduced in new states, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Yobe. (Source: Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 2022)
  3. Improved Nutrition: The HGSFP has been modified to provide more nutritious meals to children, including fortified foods and snacks. This is aimed at improving the overall health and well-being of the children. (Source: World Food Programme, 2022)
  4. Private Sector Partnerships: The programme has attracted private sector partnerships, including collaborations with companies like Nestle, Unilever, and Dangote Group, to provide food and other resources. (Source: Vanguard News, 2022)
  5. Monitoring and Evaluation: The HGSFP has been strengthened with improved monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to ensure the programme's effectiveness and accountability. (Source: Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, 2022)

Challenges and Concerns:

  1. Funding: The programme still faces funding challenges, with the Federal Government struggling to provide adequate resources to support the programme. (Source: Premium Times, 2022)
  2. Logistical Challenges: The programme has faced logistical challenges, including transportation and storage issues, which have affected the timely delivery of food to schools. (Source: The Guardian, 2022)
  3. Quality of Food: There have been concerns about the quality of food provided to children under the programme, with some reports of expired or contaminated food. (Source: Daily Trust, 2022)
  4. Implementation Gaps: There have been reports of implementation gaps, including delays in the payment of allowances to cooks and other programme staff. (Source: Leadership Newspaper, 2022)

International Support:

  1. World Food Programme: The World Food Programme (WFP) has been providing technical and financial support to the HGSFP, including training for cooks and monitoring and evaluation activities. (Source: WFP, 2022)
  2. United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF): UNICEF has been supporting the programme with funding and technical assistance, including providing nutrition education and training for teachers and cooks. (Source: UNICEF, 2022)

Overall, the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme has made significant progress in providing meals to millions of children in Nigeria, but it still faces challenges and concerns that need to be addressed to ensure the programme's effectiveness and sustainability.