School meals are a crucial way out of poverty into “a new world of learning and opportunity,” according to the World Food Programme (WFP) executive director Cindy McCain. The number of children receiving school meals through government-led programmes has gone up by 20 per cent since 2020, found the latest edition of the WFP’s flagship biennial report The State of School Feeding Worldwide. Now, nearly 80 million more children are able to enjoy nutritious meals at school, bringing the global total to approximately 466 million. Beyond health and diet, national programmes can benefit employment, agriculture, and other sectors. “School meals are so much more than just a plate of nutritious food – important as that is. For the vulnerable children who receive them, they are a pathway out of poverty and into a new world of learning and opportunity,” said Ms. McCain. “They are proven to be one of the smartest, most cost-effective investments any nation can make to improve the long-term health, education and economic prosperity of future generations,” she added.
80 million more children benefiting from school meals, WFP reports | UN News
