Governments in sub-Saharan Africa have provided school meals to roughly 20 million extra children over the past two years, the World Food Programme WFP said on Wednesday, showing a move away from dependence on foreign aid and a stronger commitment to education.
The region saw the biggest rise in school feeding of any region, by nearly a third to 87 million in 2024. Ethiopia, Rwanda and even severely impoverished Madagascar and Chad all managed to feed six times as many over the period.
Government investments in school meals signal a significant shift from reliance on foreign aid to recognising school meals as a strategic public investment in childrens education and health, the report said.
