Safe and Nutritious School Meals

In 2022, Cambodia endorsed the School Feeding Transition Strategy, aiming for full national ownership of the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSF) by 2028. To date, 65% of this transition has been completed. In 2022, Cambodia joined the School Meals Coalition, reaffirming its commitment to enhancing school nutrition.

To improve meal quality, Cambodia conducted a randomised controlled trial in 2024, led by the Council for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD), to develop nutrition guidelines and standards. As part of its commitment to gradual improvements, the Royal Government of Cambodia plans to enhance school meal quality by 2026.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport will coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, CARD and the National Social Protection Council to enhance the nutritional quality of school meals by using locally produced foods and integrating fortified foods, with technical support from World Food Programme (WFP) and funding support from the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This collaboration will focus on ensuring that food costs are in line with the minimum standard requirements while being cost-effective and supporting local economies by sourcing from national producers. This initiative can be successfully implemented based on evidence and will be prioritised if the necessary support is provided. By 2027, the government aims to ensure that school meals meet the minimum nutritional standards for students, including the incorporation of fortified rice in 10% of all meals.

These efforts will reinforce the long-term sustainability of the NHGSF, enhancing nutrition and providing a cost-effective approach, in line with Cambodia’s vision for a nationally owned, nutrition-sensitive school feeding programme.