This is why the evaluation of the last country program (in October 2006) strongly recommended defining a school feeding policy in order to better coordinate interventions and advocate for more resources. In January 2008, the Ministry of Education (MoE) organized a National School Feeding Forum to raise public awareness and seek support from stakeholders. This forum was chaired by the Prime Minister with the participation of all actors who intervene in the sector, plus participants from neighboring countries, and provided an opportunity to define a framework for a national school feeding program in Mali.
The policy defines ways to mobilize more resources. It also indicates that the School Feeding Program in Mali will be coordinated by a team within the office of the Minister of Education. Further, the school feeding program will give priority to schools where children have to travel more than two miles daily to get to school.
What would be the sources of funding for any expansion of the school feeding program?
As mentioned earlier, WFP is working very closely with the Government for the expansion of the school feeding program in Mali, and the main source of funding is the Government itself through the national budget. A significant budget will be earmarked each year by the Ministry of Education to help children in disadvantaged areas to go to school; this amount will also be used for coordinating the program. The second source will be the community which will benefit from WFP’s assistance, who will contribute from their harvest. The program will also receive donations from foundations and private institutions, which are becoming more and more involved; they have shown interest in financing complementary activities such as latrines, school gardens, and fuel-saving stoves, in order to provide to children what WFP and UNICEF define jointly as an “Essential Learning Package.” There is also the McGovern-Dole contribution, and fundraising/awareness events.
What has been the effect of high food prices on this funding effort?
With the exception of cereals purchased locally in Mali, the other foods, including vegetable oil and legumes, are purchased on the international market and shipped to Mali, a vast landlocked country. The prices for these commodities have increased significantly since last year when the project was approved for five years. For example, a metric ton of vegetables which used to cost $1,160 USD in June 2007, now costs $1,900 USD. A budget revision was done and will help to mobilize resources to cover these additional costs; if not it will be difficult for the country office to meet its obligation to feed the number of children planned with the full rations.
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