Millions of African children are going to school hungry and health and education leaders say that is no longer acceptable. The 11th Africa Day of School Feeding, held in Gaborone, Botswana from February 28 to March 1, 2026, brought together ministers, development partners, civil society, and health experts from across the continent with one urgent mandate: transform school nutrition from a basic safety net into a powerful engine for child health and national development.
Co-organised by the Government of Botswana and the African Union under the theme “Ensuring Access to Nutritious Meals, Clean Water, and Hygiene: Promoting Safety and Resilience in Every School Meal Investment,” the summit emphasised the strong link between school feeding, water and sanitation systems, climate resilience, and Africa’s human capital development.
The scale of the challenge and the opportunity is immense. School feeding programmes have already reached over 86 million children across the continent, and investments from Member States have nearly doubled within the past decade. Reports indicate that for every dollar invested in school feeding, there is an economic return of up to $9 through improved health, education, and local agricultural development.
Yet significant gaps remain. Leaders called for a decisive shift away from donor dependency toward domestic financing, with a particular focus on the Home-Grown School Feeding model a locally driven approach that sources food from smallholder farmers, many of them women, strengthening both nutrition and rural economies simultaneously.
A dedicated side event focused specifically on integrating education, nutrition, and WASH to advance girls’ education in Africa, bringing together government officials, civil society organisations, and students to explore practical actions for scaling gender-sensitive models across AU Member States.
The summit concluded with a clear message: beyond the meal lies a powerful engine for resilience, equity, and sustainable development across the continent.
With 2030 SDG deadlines approaching, Africa’s leaders are sending a powerful signal feeding a child is not charity. It is an investment in the continent’s future.
Source:African Union
