Uganda, Rockefeller Foundation and WFP discuss school feeding partnership

KAMPALA - The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs. Janet Museveni, has hosted senior representatives from the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Food Programme (WFP) to discuss establishing a national school feeding program in Uganda.

The meeting focused on implementing a School Feeding Program in Uganda and exploring partnerships to ensure no child attends school hungry.

The meeting, held at State House Nakasero on Wednesday (April 16), brought together key stakeholders.

They included: Dr. Mehrdad Ehsani, Vice President of Food Programs, and Betty Kibaara, Director in the Africa Region Office, from the Rockefeller Foundation; Marcus Prior, Acting Country Director, and Juliana Muiruri, Head of Nutrition, Resilience and Food Systems, from WFP; and David Wozamba, Country Director of the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

Dr. Kedrace Turyagyenda, Permanent Secretary, and other senior Ministry of Education and Sports officials also attended.

Mrs. Museveni thanked the partners and emphasized the urgent need for a structured, sustainable feeding model to provide all school-going children with at least one nutritious meal daily.

“Our children need good food, and our government cannot do it alone,” she said. “We are excited about this conversation, and we hope it leads to a breakthrough", she stated, according to a release from her office.

Currently, Uganda assigns responsibility for feeding schoolchildren, particularly in public schools, to parents.

The release from the ministry adds that this approach has proven unreliable and unsustainable, with many children attending school without lunch, resulting in fatigue and poor academic performance.

Only 34% of Ugandan students receive at least one hot meal per day, while 66% lack adequate nutrition due to the reliance on parental provision.

Mrs. Museveni explained that while the Ministry of Education has committed to developing a national school feeding policy with dedicated funding, it faces challenges including insufficient resources, inadequate school infrastructure—such as kitchens and dining halls—and environmental issues related to traditional cooking methods.

The Education Ministry seeks to partner with organizations to expand successful regional initiatives—like the one in Karamoja—nationwide.

"We are blessed to have partners like the Rockefeller Foundation and WFP walking with us. Your presence gives us the motivation that this is doable — that Uganda too can feed our children in schools," Mrs. Museveni said.

"We are ready to learn, plan, and act together to make school feeding a national reality," she added.

Dr. Mehrdad Ehsani reaffirmed the Rockefeller Foundation's commitment to helping Uganda access innovative financing options for school meals.

“This is a perfect opportunity to improve the value of existing agriculture investments by linking them to institutional markets such as school meals,” Dr. Ehsani noted. “We are working closely with the World Bank and other partners to build sustainable financing solutions.”

He stressed the importance of a multi-sectoral approach involving the ministries of agriculture, health, environment, social protection, and finance to attract concessional funding.

The Rockefeller Foundation pledged to support a transition to clean cooking solutions, including LPG, electric pressure cookers, and agricultural waste briquettes.

These technologies, already proven in Kenya and Rwanda, offer Uganda an opportunity to modernize school kitchens while conserving natural resources.

Dr. Ehsani announced that Uganda has been invited to an upcoming global meeting in Italy, organized by the Rockefeller Foundation. This event will convene multilateral development banks (MDBs), international financial institutions (IFIs), governments, and technical experts to “pressure test” a compendium of school-feeding financing options—from concessional loans to carbon markets.

WFP Uganda Acting Country Director Marcus Prior affirmed the agency's support for a national rollout, highlighting Karamoja's successful community-based food sourcing. 
"We've purchased over 5,000 metric tons of food from Karamoja communities, reinvesting in the local economy.

We are ready to stand alongside the government to expand this model to other regions," he said.

He also reported that WFP championed school gardens, citing their success in Karamoja, where growing vitamin-rich orange-fleshed sweet potatoes has enhanced nutrition and food security in both schools and surrounding communities.

The organization suggested a study visit to Brazil, which has effectively used school meals to combat malnutrition and boost local economies. 
"We have had a center of excellence in Brazil for years. We would be happy to facilitate a visit so Uganda can learn from their model," Prior added.

The Minister warmly welcomed the idea: "We are ready and willing to learn from that experience", said Mrs. Museveni.

Dr. Jane Egau, the Education Ministry's Under Secretary, reported progress on Uganda's national school feeding policy. A draft policy awaits cabinet review, while food safety guidelines are being developed with the Uganda National Bureau of Standards. 

Current initiatives include creating school menus with the Ministry of Health, gathering baseline data with WFP, establishing a dedicated school feeding budget, and forming a multi-sectoral working group including the World Bank, civil society, and development partners.

Dr. Egau noted that Uganda, as a member of the Global School Meals Coalition, has made six national commitments, including developing regulations, digitizing data, and creating a sustainable financing strategy.

"We are encouraged by the support we have received. This meeting gives us confidence that with the right partnerships and planning, Uganda can feed its children and ensure better education outcomes. We thank the Rockefeller Foundation and WFP for standing with us.

To finalize the draft policy, we need funding for a baseline survey to understand food availability and cultural preferences across regions. What works in Karamoja may not work in Bugisu. We need localized, informed approaches", said Dr. Egau.