The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), with support from the School Feeding Coalition and International Financial Institutions (IFIs), concluded a three-day regional technical conference in Dakar, Senegal, from May 21 to 23, 2024. The conference focused on school feeding based on local products in West Africa.
Under the theme “Legislating for change, financing the future,” the event was attended by experts from the Ministries of Education, Agriculture, and Economy and Finance of ECOWAS Member States, Central African countries, international technical partners supporting school feeding programs, and major international financial institutions such as the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, African Development Bank, and Agence Française de Développement.
Participants reviewed challenges and opportunities related to sustainable financing of school feeding programs. They discussed establishing a more ambitious national regulatory framework for school feeding and explored how school canteen programs could support local agriculture and improve the nutritional status of schoolchildren. The conference also served as a platform for countries to share best practices in designing and implementing sustainable school feeding programs based on local production.
The ECOWAS Commission was represented by Mrs. Massandje TOURE-LITSE and Prof. Fatou SOW SARR, respectively Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture and Commissioner for Human Development and Social Affairs.
In her address to participants, Professor Fatou SOW SARR emphasized the need for political will from governments. "This must be reflected in the inclusion of school feeding as a national priority," she stated. She also highlighted the importance of institutionalizing these programs, allocating substantial resources, and establishing accountability systems. On behalf of the Commission, she thanked all technical and financial partners working alongside Member States to ensure that every schoolchild in West Africa receives a hot, healthy meal based on local agricultural products.
Mrs. Massandje TOURE-LITSE reiterated ECOWAS Commission’s commitment to supporting Member States in developing sustainable school feeding programs. She announced that ECOWAS had mobilized 4.5 million euros to finance the Support Project for Innovative School Feeding Models in Member States. This follows a contribution in 2023 of 1 million US dollars to Cabo Verde's school canteen program, which benefited 90,000 pupils during the 2023-2024 school year.
Alerts Sign-up