World Vision Zambia Calls for Sustained Investment in Nutrition, Clean Water, and Climate Resilience Following Africa Day of School Feeding
Lusaka, Zambia – Friday, March 6, 2026: Following the recent commemorations of the 11th Africa Day of School Feeding, World Vision Zambia is calling on the Government to urgently scale up investments in school feeding, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), and climate resilience to secure the future of the children in Zambia.
The continent marked this milestone from February 28 to March 1, 2026, under the theme: “Ensuring Access to Nutritious Meals, Clean Water and Hygiene: Promoting Safety and Resilience in Every School Meal Investment.” While the celebratory days have passed, the necessity for action remains immediate.
Zambia has demonstrated commendable leadership through its Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) Programme, which currently reaches over 5 million learners. The 2026 budget increase to K542.9 million, targeting 6.6 million learners, alongside a K100 million allocation for school production units, signals strong political will.
However, the quality of the meals and long-term sustainability remain at risk. Without climate-smart interventions, the volatility of agricultural yields could undermine these nutritional gains.
Nutritious meals alone cannot guarantee health. The lack of infrastructure remains a staggering barrier:
21% of Zambian schools lack basic water services.
9,647 schools have no water access at all, according to the 2024 Ministry of Education Statistical Bulletin.
17% of schools lack sex-segregated toilets, directly impacting the dignity and school attendance of adolescent girls.
“The 2026 WASH allocation of K2.6 billion represents only about 1% of total government expenditure, falling short of the 5% commitment target,” says Gerald Kaputo, Associate Director for Advocacy, World Vision Zambia. "Without clean water for handwashing, food preparation, and irrigation, we cannot sustain the nutritional gains of school feeding or protect children from waterborne diseases like diarrhoea."
To build on the momentum of the Africa Day of School Feeding, World Vision Zambia urges the Government to prioritise the following:
Close the Funding Gap: Ensure standard, nutritious meals reach all targeted learners by fully funding and timely releasing the school feeding budget.
Strengthen Sustainability: Scale up school production units and gardens to supplement feeding programs through local, sustainable food sources.
Promote Climate Resilience: Support the cultivation of biofortified crops, such as orange maize, Mbereshi beans, and sorghum, to enhance nutritional density despite changing weather patterns.
Invest in WASH Infrastructure: Increase funding for solar-powered boreholes and irrigation to support both student hygiene and school-based agriculture.
Enhance Accountability: Strengthen oversight in decentralised procurement to ensure food resources reach the intended beneficiaries without leakage.
As Zambia prepares to host the Global Child Nutrition Forum in November 2026, the nation has a prime opportunity to showcase a holistic model of school health. The reflections from Africa Day of School Feeding must now turn into tangible results. Sustained investment today will build a healthier, more resilient, and more prosperous Zambia for tomorrow.
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