In 2007, the Malagasy Government, with the support of United Nations agencies, and especially with WFP, developed a National Strategy for School Feeding and Nutrition. This strategy is based on the principle that all children - especially those living in food-insecure areas - should have access to a primary education of good quality. Along with health and nutrition activities, school feeding is one of the pillars of this strategy.
The above-mentioned expansion of school feeding activities funded by the Malagasy Government took place within the framework of this strategy. Still within the framework of this strategy, ongoing discussions between WFP and the Ministry of National Education aim not only to intensify the program in the south, but to extend it further to the southeast of Madagascar, where there are also areas of high food insecurity.
What would be the sources of funding for any expansion of the school feeding program? What has been the effect of rising food prices on this funding effort?
The current school feeding operation is supported by various donors to the WFP Madagascar Country Program. As noted earlier, this program also receives funding from the Government of Madagascar. This funding comes from the Education For All - Fast Track Initiative (FTI) launched by the World Bank and development partners in order to help low-income countries meet the education Millennium Development Goals. The FTI funding is allocated through existing bilateral and multilateral channels and also through the FTI Catalytic Fund (CF), which supports countries that have insufficient resources so they can implement their sector plans.
Of course, given the rising food prices, the costs per child for WFP school feeding have also increased in Madagascar. However, we have managed to continue, thanks to the generous contributions from our donors.
How can someone help the school feeding program?
Potential donors can make in-kind contributions (rice, oil, or pulses) or cash contributions to WFP Madagascar. They can get in touch with the WFP Country Office at wfp.antananarivo@wfp.org.
Walk the World
The donor community and other individuals and organizations can also contribute by participating in activities that support WFP School Feeding, such as Walk the World. Every year, like thousands of children and other caring citizens around the world, schoolchildren and partners of WFP in Madagascar take to the streets and walk to raise awareness and mobilize resources to end child hunger.
Article comments
1 - Marcia Neil
If it can happen on Japan and the UK, as well as periodically on Vieques in the Caribbean Sea where whale sharks breed, can it happen on Madasgascar? These kinds of concerns cause a population to burn energy at an abnormal rate, such that "feeding programs" may simply increase the anxiety and worries that cause vulnerability among other species and lowered resistance to business-domain interests. The fact that Komodo Dragons congregate in Madagascar environs piques such interests in ways that can make such regions targets of offended wildlife linkages.