Kenya has been appointed the fourth Co-Chair of the Global School Meals Coalition, joining Brazil, Finland and France in efforts to expand access to nutritious meals for schoolchildren worldwide.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba announced Kenya’s new leadership role during the opening session of the coalition’s Third Ministerial Session at the World Food Programme (WFP) headquarters in Rome, Italy, on Wednesday, October 14, 2026.
Ogamba said Kenya would use its position to champion sustainable financing, strengthen national school feeding programmes and promote greater cooperation among member countries.
The appointment builds on Kenya’s previous involvement in the coalition, including the Second Ministerial Meeting of its Task Force hosted by President William Ruto in Nairobi in 2024.
The Nairobi meeting identified key priorities, including sustaining political commitment, expanding predictable financing, improving the quality and reach of school meals programmes, strengthening monitoring and evidence, and increasing advocacy.
According to Ogamba, school meals offer benefits beyond education, contributing to health, nutrition and social protection. He cited studies indicating that every dollar invested in feeding a child can generate up to nine dollars in social and economic returns.
However, the Cabinet Secretary cautioned that millions of children remain unreached by school feeding initiatives, while several countries continue to face funding and implementation challenges.
To address the financing gap, Kenya is exploring innovative approaches, including carbon financing through its clean cooking programme and a proposed debt-for-food conversion initiative with the WFP.
The proposed debt conversion would redirect savings from debt servicing towards long-term investment in food security and resilience, potentially increasing funding for school meals in the coming years.
Ogamba said Kenya would work with Brazil, Finland, France and other coalition members to promote national ownership, sustainable financing and stronger collaboration, while ensuring Africa’s experiences and leadership remain central to the initiative.
The coalition’s broader ambition is to ensure every child has access to a healthy and nutritious meal at school while helping countries establish strong and sustainable national school meals programmes.
