Homegrown school feeding program launched to support education, boost local farming

National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK) Chief Executive Officer Harun Yussuf serves learners at Nkarini Comprehensive School in Tharaka Nithi County. [Jacinta Mutura, Standard]

The government has embarked on a strategic shift in its school feeding program by piloting a new homegrown model in Embu and Tharaka Nithi counties.

Under this initiative, the government, through the National Council for Nomadic Education in Kenya (NACONEK), is contracting local farmers' cooperatives to supply food directly to schools.

This marks a departure from the previous cash transfer system, where funds were sent directly to schools.

Under the old plan, head teachers through the school meals programme committee would source food locally and outside the local community.

The new model seeks to empower local farmers by providing them with reliable markets while ensuring that schools receive fresh and nutritious food from the local community for students.

NACONEK Chief Executive Officer Harun Yussuf said the new modality dubbed Homegrown Model, seeks to contract farmers- organization groups (aggregators) who will be contracted to supply food to schools.

The model positions schools as one of the markets for smallholder farmers and ensures that there is traceability of farmers who produce and sell food through their cooperatives.

“The whole idea is to link school feeding to the lowest level farmer, to make sure that they have money in their pockets, and the children also feed,” said Yussuf during a tour to Nkarini Comprehensive School in Tharaka Nithi,

“School feeding is a magnet that brings children to school. And that is why the government has emphasised the importance of this particular program," he said.

The Homegrown Model is being piloted in Tharaka Nithi and Embu counties. In Tharaka Nithi, the pilot programme targets about 135 schools.

“The money that was coming to the headteacher will no longer be coming to schools but now we have identified the farmers to come together, grow food and supply to schools. With this programme, where the parents are directly involved in the feeding of the learners,” said Yussuf.

He added, “With this model, we can reach the smallest-scale farmers by helping them grow food, connect them with school feeding programs, and put money in their pockets. With this income, they can cover additional education expenses like uniforms and keep their children in school.”

According to him, there are about 2.2 million learners who are out of school in Kenya. Of the total, about 60 per cent come from arid counties.

The feeding programme is being carried out by the French Embassy, and the World Food Program in collaboration with the national government through the Ministry of Education and the county government.

Yussuf said that the transition from cash transfer to an aggregator model also seeks to ensure that farmers grow and supply foods that are available in the locality.

However, farmers are required to be members of cooperatives.

For instance, in Tharaka Nithi the partners have identified green grams, sorghum, cowpeas, millet, maize, and beans as the main crops that farmers will be producing and supplying to schools.

In rice-growing areas like Ahero in Kisumu County, Yusuf said the farmers will be contracted to supply rice and other locally available foods once the program is rolled out countrywide.

“We do not have to be feeding our children food we are not sure of the source. We don't have to be taking resources away. This model will empower the farmers from around the schools to grow the food, and sell to schools,” said Tharaka Nithi governor Muthomi Njuki.

The governor stated that the homegrown model is self-sustaining and will enhance the local economy while also providing financial empowerment to farmers.

Njuki added that the program has the potential to extend beyond schools, as there are numerous other entities such as health facilities, and prisons that can take up the food beyond schools.

"Once farmers are empowered, they should aim to produce surplus food, allowing them to sell in local markets such as Kathwana, Chakariga, and Chuka. This way, they can generate additional income beyond just supplying schools,” said the governor.

Currently, there are about four million learners in Kenya who are in the school feeding programme.

 Yussuf said that the government targets to upscale the program to reach more than eight million children by 2027.

The pilot program, if successful, is set to be launched by President William Ruto before it’s rolled out in other counties across the country.

The feeding program is being implemented through both in-kind and cash transfer methods across 26 arid and semi-arid counties.

The in-kind method, where NACONEK directly supplies food to schools, is used in Baringo, Garissa, Isiolo, Mandera, Marsabit, Samburu, Tana River, Turkana, Wajir, West Pokot, and Lamu Counties.

Meanwhile, the cash transfer method is being utilized in selected schools in Embu, Tharaka Nithi, Machakos, Kitui, Kilifi, Kwale, Narok, Kajiado, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Nyeri, Makujeni, Laikipia, and Taita Taveta Counties.

Purity Gateria, a farmer and official with the Gakiuma Farmers Cooperative, expressed her enthusiasm:

“We are happy that our children will now be eating the food we've grown ourselves. Previously, schools would purchase food from outside our community, but now they’re buying directly from us,” she said.

Gateria noted that the new model has motivated them to produce enough food both for home consumption and school supplies. It also helps protect farmers from being exploited by brokers and dealers.

She added that working with other companies through contract farming had been challenging and often resulted in losses.

“We used to produce a lot of food, but some companies would reject it, leading to waste. Now, we can enjoy it with our families, which is a positive change.”

Under the Homegrown program, Gateria explained that farmers sell over 500 tonnes of food.

Schools represent a new market that will grow and reduce their reliance on a limited market.

“If we have about 100 tonnes, we can allocate half to schools and sell the rest elsewhere. This approach reduces broker exploitation and increases our earnings,” she explained.

The farmers’ cooperatives identified in the two counties include Gatithini, Mukothima, Tharaka Cereals, Njuki CBO, Thackofan Nkondi, Gakiuma, Ganga, Igambang’ombe CBO, Kanyange and mountain movers youth groups.

According to Gakeria, the groups were initially composed of women, but now their husbands are joining as well.

“Women have gained financial independence thanks to this program. Some are earning between Sh150,000 and Sh200,000 per month. This allows us to support our families, educate our children, and empower ourselves financially,” she added.

As part of the program, the French embassy and the World Food Program train farmers in proper farming techniques and produce storage at aggregation centers.

Arnaud Suquet, the French Ambassador to Kenya, stated that France is globally committed to promoting school feeding programs.

“We are striving, globally, that every child gets at least one meal a day at school because we're not sure that children will receive food or another meal at home,” said Suquet.

He added, “We are particularly excited about the sustainability aspect because it’s important to focus on keeping this program going. I am optimistic that the Homegrown program, which builds local farming skills and links farmers to markets through schools, will successfully provide lasting support and continue to feed children in schools.”

In addition to training, the partners provide farmers with various benefits and tools, including moisture meters, pallets, weighing machines, motorbikes, and tarpaulins.

As part of the program, nutritionists will develop recipes and menus to ensure that children receive a balanced diet every day.

Governor Njuki mentioned that if the program proves successful, the county government plans to implement a similar initiative for Education Childhood Development Education (ECDE) centers in the most arid regions of Tharaka Nithi County.

“The feeding program has been helpful to sustain and maintain learners in our schools because when learners are aware that there's going to be food for lunchtime, you realise they will always attend school,” said Bridget Wambua, the County Director of Education for Tharaka Nithi.

She added, “I would wish to call upon the county government to partner with the schools, so that the ECDE learners, who are also domiciled in the primary schools, be provided with something to take during break time. Even if it is just porridge.”

According to Yussuf, aggregators start receiving money between October and November to mobilise food and supplies to schools for January.