Article by: Radio Nigeria

March 2nd, 2022

Reporting by Hadiza Abdulrahman, editing by Daniel Adejo

African Union Development Agency, AUDA-NEPAD has inaugurated guidelines for the design and implementation of Home Grown School Feeding Programmes in Africa as part of activities to commemorate this year’s Africa Day for School Feeding

 At the event in Abuja, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development Hajia Sadiya Umar commended the AUDA-NEPAD for the successful launch of the guidelines which she said would accurately outline good practices that are socio-culturally relevant, with corresponding substantial value addition for the programme. 

 Hajiya Sadiya said the theme titled, “Nutrition and human capital development in Africa through increased investment in homegrown school feeding”, is valid considering the Federal Government continued effort to commit resources to drive the implementation and expansion of the programme to achieve its desired objectives.

 The Minister disclosed that over nine million children are currently on the Programme with plans underway to add more to the initiative.

 “Currently, the total number of children enrolled on the programme stands at 9,881,773 million in over 53,000 schools, of which 4.1 million pupils have so far been verified and captured on the NHGSFP Database, we shall soon be rolling out new and exciting additions to the programme, to this end, we are currently working on a policy framework for the program, and will also be rolling out quality assurance structures, along with the introduction of the concept of School Kitchens to the program in 60 model schools across the Nation”

 The Chief Executive Officer AUDA-NEPAD Nigeria Princess Gloria Akobundu gave an appraisal of the School Feeding Programme in Nigeria which would serve as a model to other countries.

For the National Coordinator, National Social Investment Programme Dr. Umar Bindir the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme as empowered women aside benefiting school pupils.

 The African Day for the School Feeding, ADSF was initiated in 2016 as a continental commemoration and a rallying point to showcase the importance of school feeding as well as reinforce and strengthen political will for School Feeding Programme on the continent.

 In Nigeria, the Programme was equally introduced in in 2016.

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