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Ghana Among Seven Countries to Benefit from New $12 Million School Feeding Partnership

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Honduras, Pespire municipality, Choluteca department, 29 July 2025 In the photo: Dana (center), Ashly Nayeli (left) and Anyeli Sofia (right) sit together to eat the hot school meal: red bean soup. "For me, it’s a source of pride to be part of that joy for the children. […] It’s even more satisfying to know that as a grandfather, I produce the very foods that will nourish my granddaughter" says Pedro, one of the local farmers whose food is supplied to the school. In Honduras, WFP supports the Government in implementing the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE). With support from the Rockefeller Foundation, WFP is promoting a model of school meals linked to local purchases, aiming to transform education, nutrition, and rural economies. The project connects over 500 smallholder farmers, organized in cooperatives, with the school feeding system. Through direct sales of vegetables, fruits, and grains to schools, it ensures more nutritious and diverse menus for over 50,000 students. As part of this initiative, fortified and pasteurized cow’s milk has been added to the school menu, alongside fruits, vegetables, and eggs. The milk is enriched with vitamins A and D, B-complex, zinc, and iron, and is distributed once a week to approximately 7,005 children across 173 schools in the northern cone of Choluteca, including Pespire, San José, San Isidro, and San Antonio de Flores. The project works with 23 small-scale cattle ranchers who follow Good Milking Practices. Through the local implementing partner ADEPES (Asociación de Desarrollo Pespirense), these producers receive technical assistance, training, and technology support to optimize herd management and milk processing. The Pespire Milk Processing Plant has been upgraded under the project and is now managed by young local entrepreneurs organized as JOGAPES, creating jobs and stimulating rural economies. Social and Behavior Change activities complement production efforts. The introduction of “Lita,” a m
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World Food Program USA and the Lions Clubs International Foundation (LCIF) have announced a new three-year partnership worth $12 million to expand school feeding programs across several countries, including Ghana.

Under the agreement, each organization will contribute $2 million annually to support the World Food Programme’s (WFP) homegrown school meals initiative. The expanded collaboration builds on a successful pilot project launched in 2024, which provided nutritious meals to more than 653,000 children in four countries.

Speaking on the initiative, World Food Program USA President and CEO, Barron Segar, said the partnership comes at a crucial time as both organizations work together to ensure children receive the nutrition needed for healthy growth and effective learning.

Beginning in 2026, the program will support school meal initiatives in Ghana, Honduras, Kenya, Madagascar and Nicaragua, while continuing existing efforts in Uganda and Nepal. Additional countries are expected to be included in subsequent years.

LCIF Chairperson Fabrício Oliveira said the initiative aligns with the Lions’ mission of fighting hunger and supporting vulnerable children. He noted that local Lions clubs will help build community ownership to ensure the sustainability of the programs beyond the initial funding period.

The homegrown school meals model sources food locally and is designed to improve children’s nutrition while creating economic opportunities for farmers and strengthening local food systems. Studies show that school feeding programs can increase school enrollment by 12 percent for girls and 9 percent for students overall.

During the pilot phase, the partnership supported more than 10,000 farmers, supplied over 827 metric tonnes of food, introduced clean cooking technologies and strengthened cooperation with local governments.

The World Food Programme remains the world’s largest provider of school meals, while LCIF continues to support humanitarian projects through its global network of 1.4 million Lions members. Together, the two organizations aim to reduce hunger, improve education outcomes and create lasting benefits for communities around the world.

Source: wfpusa.org/news
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