WFP: 20 Million More Children in Sub-Saharan Africa Receiving School Meals as Governments Step Up Investment

Rome, Wednesday:Governments across sub-Saharan Africa have expanded school meal programmes to reach nearly 20 million additional children over the past two years, the World Food Programme (WFP) reported on Wednesday. The surge reflects a shift away from heavy reliance on foreign aid and a growing recognition of school feeding as a strategic investment in education, health, and local economies.

According to the report, the region registered the largest increase worldwide, with school meal coverage rising by almost a third to 87 million children in 2024. Countries such as Ethiopia, Rwanda, Madagascar, and Chad recorded some of the sharpest gains, with the number of children fed increasing sixfold in some cases.

“Government investments in school meals signal a significant shift—from dependence on foreign aid to recognising school feeding as a public investment in children’s education and health,” the report noted.

The findings mark a rare positive development on a continent otherwise battling worsening hunger. Climate-linked extreme weather, armed conflict, and surging food inflation have pushed more Africans into chronic food insecurity. A UN report released in July found that over 307 million people—more than one in five Africans—are chronically malnourished, a deterioration compared to two decades ago. It warned that by 2030, Africa could account for 60% of the world’s hungry population.

Falling donor support has compounded the crisis. The report highlighted cuts in aid from wealthy nations, noting that the Trump administration significantly scaled back U.S. assistance, while several European countries diverted resources toward domestic defence spending in response to Russia.

Despite these headwinds, WFP found that school feeding programmes are increasingly benefiting local economies. In Benin, government procurement of local produce for school meals injected over $23 million into the economy in 2024, while in Sierra Leone, more than a third of school meals were sourced from smallholder farmers.

Still, large gaps remain. Millions of children in some of Africa’s lowest-income countries—including the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Somalia, and South Sudan—continue to go without school meals due to dwindling donor support and severe fiscal constraints.