For more than two decades, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has supported the National School Feeding Program in Bangladesh through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program.
Their financial support and technical support from the World Food Programme (WFP) are critical to the success achieved through the National School Feeding Program, reads a press release issued on Friday.
Currently, USDA is assisting about 42,000 Bangladeshi students in 140 government primary schools in two upazilas of Cox's Bazar.
This assistance includes the provision of nutritious and delectable fortified biscuits as a breakfast option, teacher training, and essential educational and nutritional support. These efforts have brought about a positive transformation in the lives of countless children, resulting in enhanced health, nutrition, and educational outcomes.
Since 2010, enrollment and attendance in schools under the National School Feeding Program have increased and students' reading and writing skills have improved, reads the press release.
“School feeding is more than just filling the empty stomachs of hungry children. It is a sound strategy to combat child hunger and poor nutrition, promoting good eating habits among children and improving livelihood opportunities for their communities,” said Dom Scalpelli, country director, WFP Bangladesh.
“We are thankful to USDA for its longstanding partnership and generous support, which has been critical to WFP and our assistance to the Government of Bangladesh in their efforts to continuing expanding school feeding to reach more children,” he added.
The visit of the USDA comes at a time when the government plans the country’s next national school feeding program.
In July, Bangladesh became a member of the International School Meal Coalition (SMC) when the Foreign Minister of Bangladesh made the commitment during the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment in Rome.
Support from USDA remains critical to the successful roll-out of the new school feeding program, from development, testing and scale-up of the systems and structures for the new modality. The National School Feeding Programme will significantly contribute towards the development of children, the future of Bangladesh.