• Governments add 20 million children to school-feeding programs in two years, raising total beneficiaries to 87 million.

•  Studies show school meals sharply reduce absenteeism and dropouts while improving academic scores.

• Local procurement models generate major economic gains, including USD 23 million injected into Benin’s economy in 2024.

Africa faces persistent education challenges, with low enrolment and poor learning outcomes. Governments increasingly turn to school feeding programs to use canteens as drivers of educational progress and local economic growth.

Guinea illustrated this shift on November 19, when the Ministry of Pre-University Education met a delegation from the World Food Programme (WFP). The government aimed to update its national school-feeding policy. However, the meeting carried broader stakes. Minister Jean Paul Cedy said the canteen acts as a central pedagogical tool and a critical factor for student success. His position reflects a wider trend across Africa, where policymakers now treat school feeding not as a side measure but as a core public-policy instrument.

WFP data published in 2025 confirm this momentum. Sub-Saharan African governments integrated 20 million additional children into school-feeding programs over the past two years. The State of School Feeding Worldwide 2024 report shows that the number of children receiving school meals rose from 66 million in 2022 to 87 million in 2024. Ethiopia and Rwanda stand among the strongest performers, according to ReliefWeb analyses.

A pedagogical and economic engine

Research shows that school meals have a major impact on learning outcomes. A 2021 study in Public Health Nutrition tracked 480 pupils in southern Ethiopia. Children receiving a daily meal attended class twice as often and dropped out at a rate six times lower than their peers. Their academic performance also improved, sometimes more effectively than high-cost interventions such as teacher-training programs.

This trend appears in Benin as well. PASEC assessments show that schools with canteens score higher in reading and mathematics while posting lower dropout rates. WFP reports that regular and nutritious meals drive these improvements.

The economic effects also prove significant. Investments in Malawi generate up to USD 35 in returns for every dollar spent, due to gains in human capital and job creation along supply chains. Local-procurement models strengthen this impact by linking canteens directly with farmers and cooperatives.

Benin provides one of the strongest examples. Local purchasing for school meals injected more than USD 23 million into the economy in 2024. Purchases from smallholders rose 800% in a single year and increased the incomes of more than 23,000 farmers. Burundi recorded comparable outcomes, with a 50% rise in agricultural income and 67 cooperatives—representing 20,000 members—benefiting from the program.

A powerful tool still far from full scale

Despite the progress, school feeding remains underused. WFP reports that 48 of Africa’s 54 countries operate school-meal programs, covering roughly 75% of the continent. However, real coverage remains low and uneven. Only 20% to 30% of enrolled pupils in sub-Saharan Africa receive a daily meal, and some fragile states fall below 10%. Even where policies exist, they often reach only a fraction of children.

Governments face several constraints, including limited budgets, weak school infrastructure, inadequate kitchen facilities and dependence on external aid. WFP says these factors undermine program continuity and quality.

Nevertheless, the continent benefits from unusual momentum. Political commitment is rising, technical support from WFP is strengthening and the School Meals Coalition continues to mobilise financing and expertise. If these trends hold, school feeding could become one of Africa’s most powerful levers for improving education outcomes, reducing inequality and stimulating rural economies. The priority now lies in expanding coverage and ensuring long-term sustainability.

This article was initially published in French by Félicien Houindo Lokossou

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum