State of School Feeding Worldwide 2024

This report is the flagship biennial report of the World Food Programme and the main reporting mechanism of the School Feeding Alliance. According to the report, the number of children receiving school meals through government-led programs has increased by nearly 80 million (an increase of about 20%) since 2020, reaching the global total of at least 0.466 billion children. School-based feeding is the world's largest social safety net, with global funding increasing from $43 billion in 2020 to $84 billion, with 99 per cent coming from national budgets. The report estimates that the cost-effectiveness of the investment in school meals is significant, with an economic return of $7-35 for every $1 invested; about 7.4 million cooking jobs for 0.466 billion children's meals, and employment in logistics, agriculture and supply chain. For the first time, the report proposes a framework for linking school meals to the food system, emphasizing that models such as family feeding can drive smallholder development and the local economy.

Original link: https://www.wfp.org/publications/state-school-feeding-worldwide