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.

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.

Education Cannot Wait (ECW)’s report, Breaking Barriers: Understanding Educational Exclusion in Crises, finds 258 million school-aged children affected by crises. Of these, 93 million are out of school, while many enrolled children face conditions that limit learning and raise dropout risks. 

Early learning challenges are increasingly becoming access crises in adolescence. Evidence shows food insecurity (IPC Phase 2+) is linked to poorer learning outcomes, lower progression, and reduced secondary enrolment, especially in protracted crises. Evidence also shows that school feeding programmes help offset the effects of food insecurity, improving attendance and leading to measurable gains of 0.1–0.2 standard deviations in learning outcomes.

Spain's school meal programs focus on improving children's health through healthy and sustainable diets, with a particular emphasis on preventing obesity. They promote nutrition education, the use of local, seasonal, and organic foods, and equitable access to quality meals that accommodate diverse needs. Beyond nutrition, school meals also support education, social inclusion, and work-family balance.

Universal free school meal policies aim to improve student well-being by expanding meal access for all children regardless of income. While evidence supports increased participation in meal programs, research on educational outcomes remains limited. This study evaluated the impact of universal free school meal policies on chronic absenteeism, academic performance, graduation rates, and dropout rates in the U.S.

Cameroon, like many other countries, has adopted School Meals Programmes las a safety net to support education, food and nutrition security, social inclusion, and agricultural and economic development. While this reflects growing recognition of school feeding as a policy tool, the scale and coverage of programmes remain limited. In 2025, the National School Feeding Strategy was adopted to provide strategic guidance and a clearer framework for the development and coordination of such initiatives.

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.