Local procurement from smallholder farmers, support to and capacity building of farmers and their organizations to respond to demand for planet-friendly school meals, including measures to support local smallholder farmers to increase. Sustainable school food procurement can promote the adoption of planet-friendly production practices, broaden the local food basket, and stimulate crop diversity, along with other social and economic development outcomes.
Some African countries have currently a 42% of national school feeding programs agriculture policy objectives, which include ecological elements such as agrobiodiversity and climate-smart foods.
Source: Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition, 2023