ENOUGH CAMPAIGN: Mozambique Approves National School Feeding Strategy

The Government of Mozambique has approved the country's first-ever National School Feeding Strategy, meeting a key advocacy ask of World Vision's ENOUGH Campaign to eliminate child malnutrition. The move follows years of advocacy efforts in which World Vision played an active role alongside several civil society and non-governmental organizations.

"We welcome this as a tangible demonstration of the Government of Mozambique's commitment to strengthening the legal and policy framework for school feeding. This will be crucial in our journey towards ending malnutrition, which currently affects 37% of children under five years of age," said Diolene Gimo, Campaign Manager for World Vision Mozambique.

Gimo explained that school feeding is one of the campaign's key advocacy priorities because it is a proven, multisectoral solution that addresses several root causes of hunger, poverty, and inequality simultaneously.

The strategy paves the way for:

• Improved learning outcomes and increased school retention;
• Better health and nutrition outcomes;
• Increased local production and stronger support for smallholder farmers;
• Greater equity by ensuring that more children remain in school; and
• Increased strategic investment in human capital development and national growth.

With the approval of the strategy, World Vision renews its call for:

I. Adequate and predictable public financing for the implementation of the strategy;

II. The gradual expansion of programme coverage so that an increasing number of children can benefit from school meals;

III. Effective coordination among the Education, Agriculture, Health, and Social Action sectors, as well as development partners; and

IV. Robust monitoring, evaluation, and accountability systems to ensure quality, transparency, and measurable results.

Background: World Vision's Advocacy, Campaign, and Programme Work on School Feeding in Mozambique

Through its advocacy and Já CHEGA/ENOUGH Campaign, World Vision has helped amplify children's and communities' views, concerns, and recommendations on school feeding to decision-makers. This included the Nutritious Dialogues initiative, which engaged more than 700 children and whose findings informed a Child Nutrition Manifesto that was disseminated among government officials and other duty-bearers.

In addition, roadshows were conducted to promote sustainable solutions to child malnutrition, with school feeding identified as a key component of the response. School feeding was also a central topic in World Vision-facilitated town hall meetings between Members of Parliament and local communities, including children. These discussions are expected to inform future government decisions and policy discussions on school feeding.

Last year, World Vision separately engaged the President and the First Lady of Mozambique on the ENOUGH Campaign and its contribution to reducing malnutrition, including the promotion of school feeding as a key tool for achieving this objective. Both pledged their support for ongoing efforts to ensure that every child in Mozambique is well nourished.

Programmatically, World Vision is implementing a school feeding programme in the provinces of Nampula and Zambézia. Over the past few months, nearly 100,000 children, along with teachers and volunteers, have received school meals in 157 schools. Thanks to these interventions, school enrolment has increased by 14.4%, demonstrating that school meals are an effective tool in reducing school dropouts, improving attendance and punctuality, and enhancing academic performance.