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The
School
Feeding
Programme
was
implemented
in
2005
as
a
means
to
encourage
retention
of
pupils,
increase
school
enrolment,
alleviate
poverty
and
provide
sufficient
nutrition
for
pupils.
However,
delay
in
payment
of
grants
to
caterers
has
been
a
major
setback
to
the
programme
despite
adoption
of
new
mode
of
payment.
The
delay
in
payment
has
also
led
to
poor
meals
provided
by
caterers
to
the
school
children.
This
has
over
the
years
been
a
major
concern
to
some
health
experts
and
parents
in
respect
of
the
food
nutrients
with
which
children
are
being
fed.
In
addressing
some
of
this
issues,
World
Vision
Ghana
and
partners
have
launched
a
3-year
project
which
will
see
to
end
child
malnutrition,
hunger,
stunting
growth
among
others
across
the
country.
The
campaign,
which
is
estimated
to
cost
over
$3.5
million,
will
hinge
on
two
main
strategic
goals;
That,
children
are
visible
and
heard
in
hunger,
nutrition
&
food
security-related
policies
at
all
levels
and
more
children
enjoy
better
food
security,
nutrition
and
resilience,
through
prioritized
services.
The
objectives
of
the
campaign
are
to
ensure
that;
The
most
vulnerable
children
and
their
caregivers
receive
immediate
nutrition-appropriate
food
and
cash
assistance
as
well
as
more
children
are
reached
by
school
meal
programs
providing
nutritional
food,
sourced
ethically,
sustainably
and
as
locally
as
possible.
In
addition,
more
adolescent
girls
enjoy
improved
nutrition
outcomes
and
improved
life
quality
due
to
micronutrient
supplements
and
gender-based
transformative
programs.
The
campaigners
have
therefore
urged
the
Government
of
Ghana
and
all
key
stakeholders
to
ACT
on
existing
or
new
policies
and
increase
investment
to
end
child
hunger
and
malnutrition
and
by
so
doing;
“Provide
ENOUGH
nutritious
food,
ensure
ENOUGH
funding
for
hunger
and
nutrition,
drive
ENOUGH
political
will,
promote
ENOUGH
household
food
security,
and
advocate
ENOUGH
quality
school
meals
for
every
child.”
The
National
Director
for
World
Vision
Ghana,
Laura
Del
Valle
in
her
speech
noted
that,
“There
is
ENOUGH
in
this
world
to
provide
every
child
with
a
life
of
plenty,
joy,
and
hope.
Child
hunger
levels
are
the
worst
they
have
been
in
generations
due
to
conflict,
climate
change,
and
post-COVID
economies,
resulting
in
soaring
food
prices.”
She
added
that
“Hundreds
of
millions
of
children
suffer
from
curable
diseases
and
are
underweight,
stunted,
wasted,
anaemic,
and
overweight.
Many
children
will
not
reach
their
potential,
facing
difficulties
focusing
in
school,
being
forced
to
work,
or
getting
married
early.
Children
have
the
right
to
ENOUGH
nutritious
food,
critical
for
physical
growth
and
brain
development.”
“Currently,
the
national
stunting
rate
stands
at
18%,
the
current
rate
of
wasting
stands
at
6%,
the
rate
for
underweight
is 12%,
the
under-five
mortality
rate
in
Ghana
stands
at
40
deaths
for
every
1000
live
births
as
against
a
global
target
of
less
than
25
for
1000
live
births.
Almost
half
(49%)
of
children
aged
6–59
months
in
Ghana
are
anaemic.
This
statistic
is
very
high
by
WHO
standards,”
she
lamented.
Based
on
the
2020/2021
Comprehensive
Food
Security
and
Vulnerability
Analysis
(CFSVA)
for
Ghana
and
the
latest
results
from
the
March
2023
Cadre
Harmonisé,
the
food
insecurity
situation
in
the
North
persists,
where
over
237,000
people
were
projected
to
be
food
insecure
in
Upper
East
and
Upper
West
regions
(IPC/CH
Phase
3
and
4).
According
to
the
Food
and
Agriculture
Organisation
(FAO),
“we
produce
so
much
food
globally
yet
one–third
of
it
–
1.3
billion
tons
–
is
wasted. There
is
ENOUGH
in
this
world
to
provide
every
child
with
a
life
of
plenty,
joy,
and
hope.
This
is
why
we
say
ENOUGH”.
The
Deputy
Minister
of
Health
and
Member
of
Parliament
for
Akyem
Oda,
Alexander
Akwasi
Acquah
who
pledged
his
personal
support
for
the
campaign
said,
“The
Burden
of
malnutrition
remains
high.
Many
children
in
Ghana
do
not
receive
optimal
malnutrition.”
But
the
Ministry
of
Health
and
Ghana
Health
Service
are
implementing
high
impact
specific
programmes,
including
care
practices
and
Vitamin
A
supplement.
“I
congratulate
World
Vision
Ghana
for
initiating
this
campaign
and
I
pledge
the
Ministry
of
Health’s
support
to
end
child
hunger
and
malnutrition.
We’ll
be
available
to
ensure
that
this
campaign
will
go
to
the
areas
they
have
to,”
Mr
Acquah
said.