Publications and resources

This report explores how school meals may contribute to social cohesion in Somalia. Drawing on field research conducted jointly by WFP and IDS in five schools in Galkayo, Somalia, the report examines whether and how the pathways identified in the framing paper manifest in practice and assesses the extent to which the school meals programme is grounded in a conflict-sensitive approach. 

The findings suggest that school meals provide children with a sense of normality, stability and hope, support school attendance and retention, reduce risks associated with dropout and negative coping mechanisms, and foster positive interactions among children from different backgrounds.

This report and case study explore how school meals may contribute to social cohesion in Mali. Drawing on field research conducted jointly by WFP and IDS in four schools in Bandiagara and Mopti, Mali, the report examines whether and how the pathways identified in the framing paper manifest in practice, and assesses the extent to which the school meals programme is grounded in a conflict-sensitive approach.

The report finds that school meals support important building blocks of social cohesion, while highlighting opportunities to strengthen conflict-sensitive programming and the intentional integration of secondary social cohesion outcomes into school meals programme design and monitoring.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for most global deaths, yet effective preventive interventions remain limited. This White Paper synthesises evidence from 700+ sources and 115 experts, finding that quality school meal programmes improve diets, nutrition and educational outcomes, and may contribute to long-term NCD prevention. Impact depends on nutritional quality and implementation. 

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The Statement was prepared by the Research Consortium as an input to the School Meals Coalition for the parliamentarians and policymakers of its member countries, and draws on analyses led by the Global Academy, as indicated under each finding below. 

It summarizes the new evidence generated over the past year and its implications for policy, describes how evidence is being put to use by governments and regional institutions and reports progress against the priorities set in the 2025 Statement and sets out priorities for the year ahead.

This report examines why school meals, despite their broad policy appeal, are financed and governed so differently across countries. The starting point is that evidence on nutrition, education, and welfare outcomes is often not enough to explain public investment.

This report develops an empirically grounded political economy account of school meals financing and governance. It combines cross-country analysis with case studies of Ghana, Indonesia, Kenya, and Somalia. The analysis asks what political gains governing coalitions obtain from investing in school meals, including electoral credit, legitimacy, patronage, social cohesion, international standing, and evidence of government effectiveness. It also asks which actors—whether national leaders, line ministries, subnational governments, or delivery actors—benefit politically. Additionally, it examines how political narratives make the value of feeding children salient to both decision-makers and the public.

School gardens and farms can offer a solution. When children are involved in school garden and farming programs, it can improve food literacy, increase academic engagement, teach children practical agricultural skills, and support the dissemination of more sustainable and regenerative farming practices. 

When recognized as platforms within national food, education, agriculture, youth, and resilience strategies, purpose-led school gardens and farms have the potential to strengthen students’ nutrition, learning, and future livelihoods, while delivering wider benefits for local food systems.

France has a comprehensive national school meal system aimed at meeting children's nutritional needs while promoting healthy eating habits, cultural awareness, environmental responsibility, and food waste reduction. School meals are managed by local authorities and follow strict nutritional guidelines. Since 2022, the EGAlim law has encouraged the use of sustainable and organic food products. Although the regulatory framework is strong, enforcement and monitoring remain limited, resulting in uneven compliance.

The City School Meals Case Study of Montpellier serves to document how the municipal school meals programme is organized, funded, and monitored throughout the city. The objectives of this case study include presenting an introduction to the city profile, outlining the design and implementation of school feeding programmes, describing their monitoring and evaluation processes, and highlighting lessons learned, best practices, and challenges. 

At its core, the School Meals Programme aims to improve school attendance, retention and learning outcomes by reducing short-term hunger and enhancing learners’ ability to concentrate and participate effectively in class. More broadly, the Home Grown School Meals programme seeks to achieve multiple, interrelated objectives across the education, nutrition, agriculture and social protection sectors,

The objectives of this case study include presenting an introduction to the country profile, outlining the design and implementation of school feeding programmes, describing their monitoring and evaluation processes, and highlighting lessons learned, best practices, and challenges.