FREETOWN, Sierra Leone, December 21, 2023 — The Federal Republic of Germany, through its Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), has allocated EUR 10 million to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support the provision of nutritious meals to 25,300 primary school children in the Karene district of northern Sierra Leone.
This substantial contribution aims to empower WFP to deliver diverse, safe, and nutritious meals to pre and primary school children in 115 schools from 2024 to 2028. The program will source locally produced foods from 8,000 smallholder farmers, enhancing food security and boosting the local economy. The German-funded initiative aligns with the home-grown school meals program, stimulating local food production and consumption while creating demand for more nutritious and diverse foods.
Jens Kraus-Massé, Ambassador of the Federal Republic to Sierra Leone, expressed Germany’s commitment to enhancing food security in Sierra Leone, in line with the government’s ‘Feed Salone’ initiative. The project will significantly contribute to the country’s human capital development vision and transform local food systems by supporting agricultural communities, particularly women, and establishing linkages to structured markets, connecting farmers directly to schools.
Conrad Sackey, Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, emphasized the timely and vital nature of the funding, stating, “This funding is timely and will undoubtedly contribute to a successful home-grown school feeding implementation for the children of Karene and achieving the President’s human capital development vision.”
Sierra Leone’s National School Feeding Policy prioritizes home-grown school feeding, linking it to local food production and procurement to stimulate social and economic development in communities. Yvonne Forsen, WFP’s Representative and Country Director in Sierra Leone, commended Germany’s commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable populations in Sierra Leone. She reiterated WFP’s dedication to collaborating with partners to enhance food security, nutrition, human capital development, livelihoods, and the local economy in the country.
In alignment with the government’s efforts to address the global climate crisis, a portion of the German funding will be allocated to constructing environmentally friendly kitchens and storerooms, along with fuel-efficient stoves to reduce the reliance on firewood.
