The Ministry of Education Arts and Culture, together with the World Food Programme, on Friday launched the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, which aims to improve health and educational outcomes of public primary school learners at Otjimuhaka in the Kunene region.

HGSFP is a government-led N.dollars 3.74 per day school feeding programme that uses locally grown farm produce from smallholder farmers to provide children with nutritious mid-day meals on school days and is set to benefit more than 25 000 learners from seven regions in 28 selected schools.

In a speech read on his behalf, United Nations World Food Programme Country Director, George Fedha, stated that HGSFP will close the nutrition gap through the provision of balanced and diversified meals for learners, served with the existing fortified maize blend.

He said that local smallholder farmers can benefit from this programme as they will have a stable market for their produce.

Fedha also said that the programme has the potential to support the local economy through increment of income generation activities, and entrepreneurship within the community.

‘There is a trickle-down effect as the enhanced benefits are seen at the household level, increased business opportunities for smallholder traders, and improved livelihood for learners supported by these parents,’ he added.

The program, according to Fedha, has increased enrollment rates of primary school children, while also improving the nutritional and health status of school children.

Kunene Governor, Marius Sheya, in a speech read on his behalf said that it is important to integrate smallholder farmers into the market, which can improve improve nutrition in schools in the long run and increase the income of smallholder farmers.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency