Education Ministry, WFP Discuss Cooperation on School Nutrition Program

The Acting Minister of Education, Mahmoud Sir Al-Khatim Al-Houri, affirmed the importance of school nutrition program, pointing to its role in reducing school dropout in light of the difficult economic circumstances.

This the Minister’s meeting today in his office with the Deputy Country Director and Program Director of the World Food Program (WFP) in Sudan, Karl Paulson, accompanied by the Director of School Nutrition at the WFP and the Director of School Nutrition Nour Al-Madina Ahmed Hamed at the Ministry, the meeting also discussed the WFP plan for the year 2023.

Mr.  Karl Paulson pointed out that the School Feeding Program is a major program of the World Food Program, reviewing the challenges they faced in the year 2022 due to the global economic crisis that led to the reduction of number of children benefiting from school feeding to 50%, adding that this year’s plan targets approximately 262 thousand male and female students, and it will be implemented in the states of Kassala, South Kordofan and South Darfur, noting the that  World Food Program encourages  subsidizing local production through support from donors.

He pointed out that the presence of Sudan within the coalition of school meals around the world, which includes 70 countries led by France and the Netherlands, enables the World Food Program to support Sudan to benefit from this global alliance.

On her part, Nour Al-Madina said the Ministry of education will celebrate World Nutrition Day in cooperation with the World Food Program next March, expressing hope the program will be able to mobilize donors and attract support to increase the number of students targeted by nutrition program.