The African Union Development Agency (AUDA)-New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) has called for an expanded collaboration between the Ghanaian government, the private sector, and key stakeholders to bolster the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP).
The initiative aims to ensure a steady and sustainable supply of locally-produced farm goods, benefiting both schoolchildren and smallholder farmers.
During a recent stakeholder meeting themed ‘Public-Private Partnerships and Innovative Financing to Enhance Investments in School Feeding Programs in Ghana,’ Kefilwe Roba Moalosi, Senior Nutrition and Food Safety Officer at AUDA-NEPAD, stressed the importance of partnerships between the government and smallholder farmers. She argued that these collaborations would strengthen the Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programme by providing a reliable source of local produce, ensuring the programme’s sustainability and long-term growth. Moalosi encouraged the Ghanaian government to engage the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to identify and empower farmers to participate in the programme.
Dr. Clement Adjorlolo, Head of Agriculture and Rural Transformation at AUDA-NEPAD, echoed the call for private-public partnerships, noting their critical role in the success of HGSF. By leveraging the resources and expertise of both sectors, the programme can address not only the nutritional needs of children but also foster economic empowerment and improve educational outcomes.
The HGSF initiative is part of AUDA-NEPAD’s food security and nutrition agenda, initially launched under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). With approximately 65 million children in 51 African countries benefiting from school feeding, the programme has expanded significantly in recent years. Domestic funding for school feeding programs in West Africa has nearly doubled between 2013 and 2020, underscoring the growing commitment of African governments to the initiative.
In Ghana, the GSFP currently serves over 4.2 million pupils across 12,000 public schools, employing 12,000 caterers. However, the programme faces several challenges, including meals that do not meet the dietary needs of children with disabilities, insufficient nutritional assessments, and a lack of data on the programme’s impact on farmers’ yields. David Essandoh, Operations Officer at the GSFP, highlighted these concerns, emphasizing the need for continued improvements to the programme.
Paulina Addy, Director at MoFA-WIAD, noted that although the GSFP is intended to support local farmers, the current procurement process often bypasses them. Instead, produce is purchased from the market, limiting the potential benefits for local agriculture. Addy called for a refinement of these procurement processes to better support farmers and ensure that the food provided to children is both nutritious and locally sourced.
To address these challenges, AUDA-NEPAD and Ghanaian stakeholders have advocated for innovative financing options, such as impact investing, grants, and crowdfunding, to support the HGSF programme’s expansion. The success of this initiative, they argue, relies on strengthening partnerships across sectors and leveraging innovative financial tools to enhance the programme’s effectiveness.
In conclusion, the future of the GSFP hinges on the collaboration between the government, private sector, and local farmers. By working together, stakeholders can ensure that the programme continues to provide nutritious meals to Ghanaian children while supporting local agriculture and fostering broader economic growth.
