WFP, TAPF team up to enhance India’s school meals

03 / 01 / 2022

By Marwa Nassar - -

The United Nations World Food Program (WFP) and the Akshaya Patra Foundation (TAPF) will work together to enhance school meals programs in India with an aim of sharing the experience beyond the country.

Mid-day Meals Scheme also known as Prime Minister Poshan is one of the three main food-based safety nets in India, reaching close to 100 million school aged children with hot-cooked meals. The scheme plays a significant role in retention of children in school while providing nutritional security.

An agreement was signed between Bishow Parajuli, Representative and Country Director for WFP in India, and Shri Chanchalapthi Dasa, Vice-Chairman, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, on 3 January in New Delhi.

“The partnership is a strategic force multiplier that combines our work and experience in school meals spanning for the last six decades. India has provided a safety net to children through school meals and its excellent track record and various initiatives could be a model in other countries too,” said Parajuli.

“With this partnership, we aim to complement WFP’s global network of running large-scale school feeding programs across the world with our expertise in addressing hunger at the grassroots level,” Said Dasa.

Under the partnership, WFP and the Akshaya Patra Foundation will aim to enhance food safety and hygiene projects, capacity building of cooks-cum-helpers and nutritional quality of school meals. The two organizations will share knowledge by organizing workshops as well as policy and strategy dialogues with the Government to improve the quality of the school meals program.