Global School Meal Programs Reach New High, but Disparities Remain

A new report from the World Food Programme (WFP), titled “State of School Feeding Worldwide 2024,” reveals that school meal programs have reached a record number of children globally.

According to the report published on Reliefweb.int, these programs are now serving 466 million students across pre-primary, primary, and secondary levels. This represents a significant increase of approximately 48 million children since 2022 and 78 million since 2020, demonstrating a major global mobilization to expand these programs.

The report highlights that the largest gains have occurred in low-income countries, which have achieved the fastest growth rate of nearly 60% in the past two years. The African continent has experienced the most substantial increase, with nearly 20 million more children now receiving school meals. This growth is largely driven by government-led initiatives, with countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, and Rwanda expanding their coverage by 1.5 to 6-fold. The global annual investment in these programs stands at US$84 billion, with national governments contributing 99% of the funding.

Despite this progress, significant challenges persist. According to the report, coverage remains low in low-income countries, reaching only 27% of primary school children, compared to 80% in high-income nations. The WFP, acting as the secretariat for the

School Meals Coalition which now includes 108 member governments, supports these efforts through technical assistance and policy advocacy. The report notes that recent shifts in international aid architecture and reductions in Official Development Assistance threaten to impede further progress, underscoring the need for continued national and international commitment.