Education Minister Douglas Syakalima says 4.6 million learners are currently benefiting from the school feeding programme, with government targeting an expansion to 6.6 million learners.
Syakalima says the programme now covers 116 districts, with evidence from across the country showing improvements in enrolment, attendance, and retention, particularly in vulnerable communities.
Speaking at the Multi-Stakeholder System Alignment Convening on Zambia’s School Feeding Programme, Syakalima said school feeding has been firmly established as a national priority, backed by strong political leadership and a significant increase in domestic financing.
However, he noted that as the programme expands, the challenges also evolve.
He explained that scaling up investment requires stronger alignment in policy, financing, operations, and oversight, adding that differences in delivery models, cross-sector coordination, and clarity of institutional roles become more pronounced at a larger scale.
And Food for Education Programme Public Affairs Director Shalom Ndiku described the school feeding programme as a priority initiative, expressing hope that further positive interventions will be implemented to strengthen it.
Meanwhile, World Food Programme Country Director Cissy Byenkya said expanding the programme to over 5 million learners in less than 10 years is impressive, noting that the initiative is timely, especially as more partners come on board to support it.
By Mutinta Hamusankwa
