BY BANELE MAGONGO
MBABANE – Minister Owen Nxumalo appealed to the private sector, UN agencies, and other stakeholders to continue supporting the National School Feeding Programme through their corporate social responsibility and other initiatives.
The minister said this during the National School Feeding Indaba at the George Hotel in Manzini yesterday, he called for stronger multi-sectoral support for the School Feeding Programme (SFP) to ensure its resilience and sustainability.
The Minister noted that the SFP is more than just a cost, it is an investment that yields significant returns. The research shows that for every dollar spent on the SFP, nine dollars are generated in value. The SFP contributes to human capital development by supporting the agricultural sector, promoting nutrition and health, and improving education outcomes. It also creates employment opportunities for smallholder farmers, transporters, retailers, and millers, among others. Overall, the SFP is a key driver of economic development.
He explained that the School Feeding Programme is an important social safety net that contributes to many of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. The SFP is critical to the success of the SDGs, and requires a multi-stakeholder approach to ensure its sustainability. The Minister expressed his gratitude for the support of His Majesty’s Government.
The Minister stated that the Ministry of Education and Training is exploring a “home grown school feeding” concept to increase the sustainability of the National School Feeding Programme. This concept involves sourcing school feeding commodities from local smallholder farmers, which has a range of benefits for students, farmers, and the environment. The Minister also announced that Eswatini joined the School Meals Coalition, a global partnership to improve the quality, sustainability, and scale of national school meal programmes. This will help to further strengthen the country’s commitment to improving child nutrition.
The minister stated that another significant accomplishment was the country’s efforts to adopt and implement the SADC School Meals Guidelines, in line with regional regulations. He emphasized that aligning with both regional and international standards would provide a platform for experience sharing and learning from other countries and partners, to ensure a sustainable and high-quality school meals program.
Participants at the regional consultations highlighted the importance of addressing the lack of breakfast and meals during weekends and school holidays. The minister called on all stakeholders to work together to support the sustainability of the feeding program, including parents and schools.
