Kathmandu, July 29 | Ecosphere News
Nepal has celebrated a historic milestone in child nutrition and education with the launch of the publication "Journey of the National Mid-Day Meals Programme in Nepal," documenting nearly 60 years of progress in providing school meals to children across the country.
The publication, released by the World Food Programme (WFP) in collaboration with the Government of Nepal, highlights how the programme has evolved from a small pilot initiative started in 1967 into a nationally owned school feeding programme that now serves nearly three million children every school day.
According to WFP, the programme has played a transformative role in improving school enrolment, attendance, retention, nutrition, and learning opportunities for generations of Nepali children, particularly those living in remote and food-insecure communities.
The report describes Nepal's mid-day meals programme as one of the country's most significant investments in human capital development, helping ensure that children are able to attend school regularly and learn effectively without the burden of hunger.
A major feature of the publication is Nepal's growing emphasis on the Home-Grown School Feeding approach, which links school meal programmes with local farmers, cooperatives, and community food producers. This approach is expected to strengthen local food systems, create market opportunities for smallholder farmers, improve dietary diversity, and enhance community resilience.
The publication also acknowledges the contributions of federal, provincial, and local governments, schools, parents, community organisations, and international development partners who have supported the programme over the decades. WFP has remained a long-standing partner in Nepal's school feeding efforts, providing technical assistance, operational support, and capacity-building while supporting the transition toward full national ownership.
Education and nutrition experts view the programme as a critical tool for addressing child hunger, malnutrition, educational inequality, and poverty reduction. By providing nutritious meals in schools, Nepal has been able to encourage higher participation among children from disadvantaged households and promote more inclusive access to education.
Looking ahead, the publication outlines Nepal's ambition to expand school meal coverage to higher grade levels and potentially reach up to 4.5 million children in the future. Such expansion would further contribute to the country's efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, including Zero Hunger, Quality Education, and Good Health and Well-being.
As Nepal marks this important milestone, the launch of the publication stands as a recognition of the country's vision, leadership, and collective commitment to ensuring that no child is too hungry to learn.
The full publication is available through the World Food Programme (WFP) website.
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