H.E. Prof. Berhanu Nega, Minister of Education in Ethiopia

“Since joining the School Meals Coalition, Ethiopia increased its coverage fivefold to reach 7.5 million children. If we want to build stable societies, we must provide equitable, quality education, and that can only be achieved with school meals at the elementary level. We’re not talking about this enough. They give children, especially those from poor backgrounds, a fighting chance to climb the ladder in terms of their economic well-being.

For these programmes to work, public and government ownership is essential, especially as donor funding continues to decline.”

H.E. Martha Salazar, Deputy Secretary of Food and Nutritional Security, Guatemala

“The 2017 approval of the School Meals Law was a turning point for Guatemala. A clear public policy priority: placing children at the centre of national development.

The programme is fully funded with national public resources and guaranteed from the first day of school. The key is a tax mechanism called IVA Paz (Peace VAT), which mandates that 70% of school meal funds be used to purchase directly from small-scale family farmers.”

Mr. Harun Yusuf, HSC, CEO, National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK), Ministry of Education.

“Kenya is scaling up school meals—reaching 2.6 million learners and targeting 10 million by 2030. The programme is driven by home-grown solutions, climate-smart approaches, clean cooking technologies, and innovative carbon financing, all anchored in strong local food systems and partnerships to ensure every child is nourished and ready to learn.”

H.E. Dr. Ouk Makara, Vice Chairman of the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), Cambodia:

“Cambodia has positioned school meals as a national priority and a strategic lever for food systems transformation. Since 2020, domestic investment has increased eightfold, supported by a diversified financing strategy—combining public funds, blended finance, and public-private partnerships.

The approved national policy embeds school meals in our food systems frameworks. We’re expanding public procurement and linking local farmers to school meal markets—integrating nutrition across education, agriculture, and social policy.”

Chrysoula Zacharopoulou, Special Envoy of the President of France to the United Nations Food Systems Summit Stocktake and School Meals Coalition Co-Chair:

“When a child eats well, they learn better. And when they learn better, an entire society becomes stronger and fairer. School meals are a key lever for health, education and development. But globally, many children in low-income countries still lack access—so we must do better, and that’s why the School Meals Coalition is important.

In France, we’ve taken action: regulated nutrition standards since 2011, the one-euro canteen for low-income families since 2019, and strengthened support in 2024 for municipalities sourcing sustainably and locally.”

Amina J. Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations:

“Why is there so much momentum behind school meals? Because they are more than just a plate of food. They are central to building more sustainable food systems and equipping our next generation with the health, nutrition, and education they need to reach their potential. Countries harness them to catalyse food systems transformation through procurement from smallholder farmers.

Now we must go further: aligning school menus and procurement with our nutrition and sustainability goals, introducing clean cooking solutions, and tackling food loss through food, nutrition, and climate education in schools.”

Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme:

“School meals support smallholder farmers and reshape national food systems, boosting rural livelihoods, creating jobs, empowering women, and building a stable market for locally grown produce.

WFP is proud to serve as the Secretariat for the School Meals Coalition, supporting national leadership that’s driving impact. To match this ambition, the Coalition’s Sustainable Financing Solution is helping governments design national plans and unlock the funding needed to reach every child.”

Carmen Burbano, Director of the School Meals Coalition Secretariat and Director of School Meals and Social Protection at WFP:

“Governments are prioritizing school meals—even through financial and fiscal crises—because these are strategic investments in a country’s economy, in children’s education, and in the health of the next generation. They’re also powerful tools for transforming food systems: supporting smallholder farmers, creating jobs for women, and enabling healthier, more sustainable diets.

This isn’t about scattered projects or donor-driven agendas. This is domestic financing and national leadership—ministries that are advancing national policies that benefit children, education, and economies.”