Sierra Leone Seeks School Feeding Funding
Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) is actively seeking increased funding from domestic government allocations and private-sector partnerships to reduce donor dependence in its Home-Grown School Feeding Programme.
Sengbe Roger Koker, Director of Nutrition and Head of School Feeding at the National School Feeding Secretariat, announced the strategy during the Global Child Nutrition Forum (GCNF) held at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka.
Attending the forum alongside the Secretariat’s Director of Administration, Koker joined government representatives, development partners, policymakers, and practitioners to discuss mechanisms for strengthening national school meal initiatives.
Speaking ahead of a panel on Sustainable Financing of School Meals Programmes, Koker emphasized that establishing sustainable, domestic financial models is vital for long-term expansion and maintenance of school meal delivery.
He outlined key focus areas for the discussions, including innovative financial frameworks, domestic resource mobilization, private-sector investments, strategic donor alignment, and enhanced state ownership.
For Sierra Leone specifically, Koker noted that ministry leadership is taking deliberate steps to mobilize local resources and secure corporate partnerships to diversify revenue streams for the initiative.
The ultimate goal, Koker stated, is to create a fully self-sustained and adequately funded national program that reliably feeds targeted students while simultaneously stimulating local agricultural markets and broader economic development.
The international forum, convened under the theme “From Vision to Action: Achieving Ambitious School Meal Program Objectives,” offers Sierra Leone a platform to showcase its implementation of the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, exchange operational insights, and establish new strategic alliances.
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