Bissau — The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the Government of Japan have signed a new agreement to provide school meals to 200,000 children in 850 schools for the next two academic years. The contribution, worth 200 million yen (nearly US$1.32 million), will allow WFP to purchase canned fish and rice sourced from Japan.
"The continued cooperation of the Government of Japan together with the commitment of the World Food Programme in implementing the school meals programme, is having a tangible impact on the lives of our students, ensuring that they are nourished and ready to learn," said Herry Mané, Minister of National Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research. "Today, we express our gratitude to the Government of Japan and WFP for this new agreement, which reinforces their unwavering commitment to supporting the nutrition and education of our children."
In Guinea-Bissau, WFP provides nutritious meals to children from Grade 1 to Grade 6 in 850 schools, representing 50 percent of the country's elementary schools. WFP school meals are cooked from imported and locally sourced food from smallholder farmers. In 2023, WFP partnered with12 farmers' cooperatives, purchasing 773 metric tons of beans and rice to supply school canteens.
"The purpose of this funding is to support the efforts of the Government of Guinea-Bissau, through the World Food Programme, to guarantee food security across the country and thus help strengthen the foundations of the country's economic and social development," said Osamu Izawa, Japan's Ambassador to Guinea-Bissau.
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With Guinea-Bissau having joined the School Meals Coalition in 2024, WFP is supporting the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Scientific Research in the development of Guinea-Bissau's national commitment, focused on a long-term national school meals programme that covers all elementary schools in the country and guarantees sustainability and funding from the general state budget.
"We are working with the Ministry of Education towards a full coverage of the school meals programme in all elementary schools across the country," said Claude Kakule, WFP's Representative and Country Director in Guinea-Bissau. "Contributions from partners like Japan are vital to help advance education, support wellbeing of children by feeding their minds and bodies."
The national school meals programme has been instrumental for elementary school enrolment and retention, particularly for girls, and children with disabilities, in Guinea-Bissau with the Government of Japan being a leading supporter of WFP's operations in Guinea-Bissau, providing vital funding to sustain this vital programme.
