GCNF recently conducted a Country Policy and Funding Mechanism Study funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The study’s purpose was to examine successful school feeding programs in middle income countries, as defined by the World Bank, that are nationally-owned and operated (i.e., not dependent on external assistance from World Food Programme or other similar organizations). Responding to various criteria, including geographic diversity among all countries studied and government funding to support the program, Malaysia, Jordan, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa were selected. Case studies on Chile and Mali were also included.
In addition to locating data and statistics available online, GCNF conducted telephone interviews with each country’s main contact to fully understand the inner workings of their school feeding program. By developing a comprehensive questionnaire that addressed each program’s key components (i.e., institutional and policy frameworks; procurement; funding; and community participation), the interactive dialogues provided information not readily available. SNA Past President Donna Wittrock and former USDA deputy Alberta Frost served as volunteers to GCNF staff on this project.
This study may help other countries with tested policies and funding mechanisms for future program development. It is GCNF’s intention that this study be a guide for those countries transitioning to country owned and operated school feeding programs. GCNF will be sharing the results from these conversations. Each month, Insider International will be spotlighting a different country’s school feeding program.
This month Insider will be highlighting Jordan. The GCNF volunteer assessment team spoke with Ms. Sawsan Al-Fayez, General Coordinator, Jordanian Alliance Against Hunger (JAAH) and Ms. Faten Al-Hindi, Officer in Charge, WFP Jordan. Here are some interesting facts about Jordan’s SFP:
- Since WFP phased out in 1998, after 34 years of service, Jordan has operated a national school feeding program.
- In 2002, Jordan’s Ministry of Planning developed a study to identify the country’s “poverty pockets” to target school feeding recipients.
- Along with the Ministry of Education, the department which administers Jordan’s school feeding program, JAAH and WFP have been instrumental in implementing and transitioning Jordan’s school feeding program to the national level.
- A school meal in Jordan is delivered to students in the morning by the Jordanian Army. It consists of a 50g fortified biscuit, also manufactured by the Army, and one piece of fruit (which alternates between apples, oranges and bananas). Milk previously supplemented school meals, but has been discontinued due to transportation problems.
- Local farmers are not directly linked with school feeding, as the local procurement of food items is not mandatory.
- The current program budget for school feeding in Jordan is JD20 million (US$28.2 million), which has increased since the program began in 1999.
- King Abdulla II and Her Royal Highness Princess Basma Bint Talal are vocal about Jordan’s food insecurity issues and are strong advocates of school feeding. Her Royal Highness Princes Basma Bint Talal also chairs JAAH.
- In 2007, the Global FoodBanking Networking (GFN) signed a treaty in the country capital in Amman that helped established food banks throughout Jordan.
Look for additional country results in next month’s Insider. This study is also housed on GCNF’s website, where it may be viewed in its entirety.
Please direct all questions or comments to project manager Erica Davies at edavies@schoolnutrition.orgThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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