Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

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    • Author of submission (name, surname, position, organization)

      Elena Bolotnikova, Director on International Cooperation, Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute

      Title of your example

      Alternative School Feeding Model for City Schools

      Theme

      Sustainable food systems for improved nutrition;

      Date, location and geographic scope of your example (regional, sub-regional, national, local)

      2013–2017, Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, local

      Main responsible entity(ies) for the implementation of your example

      The project was initiated by UN WFP with technical assistance from the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI) and support from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek City Administration and Bishkek Education Department. 

      Key objectives and implementation approach of your example 

      The National School Feeding Programme has been implemented in the Kyrgyz Republic since 2006. Bishkek city authority allocates 14 soms ($0.20) per child per day to provide primary schoolchildren with free drink (tea, milk or dried fruit drink) and a bun or a cookie. Around 140 mln. Kyrgyz soms (approx. 2 mln. USD) is provided from the municipal budget of Bishkek only for food procurement for the needs of school feeding. This kind of ration is far from being nutritional and healthy, and does not meet nutrient rate necessary for children. The analysis of nutritious value of school rations before the pilot showed that primary schoolchildren were receiving only about 47% of protein, 44% fat, 54% of required vitamin and 71% mineral intake. Carbohydrate intake was about 81%, but was predominantly composed of fast carbs.

      The Kyrgyz Government sought WFP UN assistance in introducing school feeding models to provide schoolchildren with nutritious and balanced diet. WFP and its technical partner organization the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI) proposed a pilot project to optimize school feeding by introducing outsourcing company to provide school meals. Funds allocated by the city authorities were insufficient to provide nutritional ration. It was proposed to ask parents to co-finance the new improved menu.

      School No.64 of Bishkek was chosen for this pilot implementation, as it is one of the biggest schools in Bishkek by the number of primary school children and it has a large number of children from disadvantaged families and families, which moved to Bishkek from the regions for the search of employment opportunities.

      The objectives of the pilot project were as follows:

      • pilot an optimized model of outsourcing school meals provision to primary schoolchildren in city schools;
      • analyze existing legislation, tender documentation and contracts in organizing school feeding based on outsourcing model, develop recommendations to optimize school feeding process;
      • engage parents’ community into voluntary school meals co-financing in order to improve nutrition value and varieties of school rations.

      Multi-faceted pilot implementation approach included:

      • Reconstruction of kitchen’s electricity, water supply and sanitation infrastructure and renovation of canteen premises;
      • Canteen reequipment with modern and technological kitchen equipment;
      • Capacity building of canteen staff;
      • Exchange visit to share experience with a similar project implemented in Russia
      •  Analysis of existing documentation regulating relationships between outsourcing companies and schools, development of recommendations to introduce changes into existing school feeding process in the city,
      • Introduction of an optimized school menu for primary school children.

      Funding and technical assistance of your example 

      SIFI specialists solved a wide range of tasks:

      • conducted assessment of that time present condition of the school canteen, developed technological plans of canteen infrastructure restoration and reequipment.
      • analyzed local laws and regulations related to outsourcing approach to school feeding in Bishkek, developed a set of documents identifying rights and obligations of schools and outsourcing companies as well as analyzed different types of menus from nutritional point of view.
      • conducted trainings for cooks and kitchen staff on how to use new equipment, ways of application of sanitary and hygiene norms and standards of school meals cooking, as well as new vitamin preserving technologies. 

      WFP re-equipped school kitchen with the technical assistance in installation from SIFI.

      Cost of the pilot project is 84,000 US dollars.

      Key stakeholders involved. Describe the cross-sectoral coordination mechanism of your example, if any 

      Initiator: Bishkek City Administration

      Project management: UN WFP

      Implementing partner: Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI)

      National partner: Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic

      Municipal partners: Bishkek City Administration, Bishkek Education Department, Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of Bishkek.

      The project was launched by UN WFP with technical assistance of SIFI and support from the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic, Bishkek city administration, Bishkek Education Department, Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance of Bishkek.  City authorities and school administration were responsible for infrastructure reconstruction and canteen repair works. WFP purchased all necessary equipment for canteen operation. SIFI provided technical support and capacity development.

      How your example addresses food security and nutrition challenges. Describe linkages to social protection policies / school food programs / sustainable food systems

      Before the project the situation was as follows:

      - sanitation and hygiene standards were not fully met due to the lack of technological equipment (wash tanks, cooker hoods, worktables and racks) and poor infrastructural conditions;

      - school menu did not meet the norms of nutrition and energy consumption due to poor use of available resources for food procurement and also limitations in financing provided by the municipal budget;

      - school cooks and kitchen staff were not covered by skills development programme and were not fully aware of sanitation and hygiene norms, as well as had limited skills in cooking (due to small varieties of rations and lack of practice);

      - city legislation as well as tender documentation and contracts governing relations between outsourcing companies organizing school feeding and city administration had many discrepancies and gaps.

      SIFI developed two optional menus at 24 ($0.35) and 34 ($0.50) soms providing parents’ contribution in the amount of 10 ($0.15) and 20 ($0.29) soms respectively to better provide children with nutrients, vitamins and minerals. These options were presented to parents’ community and Bishkek city authorities. Parents and representatives of the city administration had a chance to try dishes included in the new school menus to see great difference between existing school meals for 14 soms allocated by the municipal budget and much more varied menus for insignificant contribution to be made by parents. As the result of the tasting session parents made a decision to contribute 10 soms to diversify school menu.

      The project outcomes:

      - Canteen was reconstructed and infrastructure improved to ensure safety of cooking process;

      - Canteen was fully equipped with modern technological equipment including two combi-steamers allowing to bake until golden brown without oil and butter use and to steam which makes healthy dishes;

      - Service equipment (wash tanks, cooker hoods, worktables and racks) was installed to keep up to sanitation norms and requirements; 

      - All kitchen staff were covered by a four-day training on school feeding process (from sanitation norms to modern low fat cooking technologies). The staff learned how to apply new equipment and cook nutritious dishes, appealing for children, and to diversify school menu;

      - Recommendations to introduce changes to legislation and tender documentation were handed over to the city administration to regulate relations with outsourcing companies to control their work and quality of their services:

      - Rations were diversified thanks to parents co-financing of school feeding and budget optimization through an outsourcing company:

      - Due to optimization and diversification of school menu primary school children’s nutrient intake increased on average by 20%, vitamin intake by 40% and mineral intake by 25%.

      The city authorities were proposed to subsidize the difference in costs of two menus: basic and enriched one. This proposal is under consideration at the moment. 

      What are the elements needed for the practice to be institutionally, socially, economically and environmentally resilient and/or sustainable? 

      Local authorities should take a proactive approach in cooperating with outsourcing companies involving them in school feeding by creating economic incentives.

      As state financing allocated for school feeding is not sufficient, it is vital to legislate on parents’ additional funding.

      Schools should work cooperatively with parents’ communities involving them into governance of school feeding programme as well as enlightening them on the role of nutritious food in child development.

      Mechanisms for ensuring accountability of school feeding programme to be executed at the local level.

      Financial and economic mechanisms should be developed and introduced to schools to raise additional funds to verify school menus. Mechanism should be transparent for parents to be willing to co-finance school feeding initiative. 

      Bishkek city authorities and Bishkek education department should analyze lessons learned of the pilot project and replicate it to other city schools.

      The project should be linked to social protection policies to ensure low-income families to get more varied ration: the difference between costs of a menu to be covered by the municipal budget.

      The impact of your example on national policies and people’s lives. What indicators have been used to measure it? 

      More than 1,200 primary schoolchildren of the pilot school get diversified, balanced and safe hot meals arranged by a new outsourcing model involving parents’ contribution.  

      Municipal partners obtain guidelines how to improve municipal legislation and other documentation, which formalizes relationship between city administration and outsourcing companies.

      City authorities are able to replicate the pilot project example using their own resources.

      Key lessons (positive and negative) that can be learned from your example and how gaps, obstacles and any other adverse conditions were addressed 

      • Introduction of new approaches to organization of school feeding and modern technological solutions can significantly improve school meals and contribute to school safety;
      • Parents are willing to find cofinancing possibilities to upgrade school meals in case they see positive change;
      • Optimized use of available resources can result in higher nutrient intakes for primary school children;
      • Positive experience of pilot schools can lead to selfreplication practices by municipal administration or individual school;
      • School administration should have active position in finding resources to reconstruct school canteen and be ready to involve parents in school feeding programs and to provide additional funding to diversify school meals;
      • A clear delineation of responsibilities of involved parties (city administration, school administration, partners for development, parents) could highly facilitate implementation process;
      • Division of responsibilities should be documented at the earliest stage possible;
      • Relevant national and municipal authorities should be invited to join transformation activities at the earliest stage to further be able to take full ownership of the processes after the pilot.

      Sources and/ or additional background material 

    • Author of submission (name, surname, position, organization)

      Elena Bolotnikova, Director on International Cooperation, Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute

      Title of your example

      Sustainable School Feeding Foundation

      Theme

      Governance and accountability for nutrition.

      Date, location and geographic scope of your example (regional, sub-regional, national, local)

      2015-2016, Armenia, National

      Main responsible entity(ies) for the implementation of your example

      The Sustainable School Feeding Foundation(Foundation) was established by the Government of the Republic of Armenia (by the Decree of the Government of the Republic of Armenia No. 1391 on December 22, 2016) to ensure continuation and development of “Sustainable School Feeding” National Pilot Programme initiated with the support from UN WFP and implemented since 2014, hereinafter referred to as the National School Feeding Programme.

      When fully operational the Foundation will be delegated responsibility for implementation of the National School Feeding Programme in all 10 provinces of Armenia, and school feeding programme will be fully transitioned from donor assistance to national ownership.

      The Foundation strategy was developed in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science with technical assistance from the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI).

       

      Key objectives and implementation approach of your example

      WFP has been implementing “Development of Sustainable School Feeding” project (WFP DEV ARMENIA 200128) in Armenia since 2010. It is financed by the Russian Federation and implemented with technical support from the SIFI.

      The project is aimed at solving several tasks. Firstly, to improve accessibility of education for primary school children by directly providing them with food. Secondly, to assist the Government of the Republic of Armenia in establishing the base for the hand-over in implementation of the Sustainable National School Feeding Programme throughout the country.

      The project provides schools with food in the most food insecure areas of Armenia as well as technical assistance to the Government of the Republic of Armenia in developing National School Feeding Programme.

      In addition to these, the innovative component was introduced – all schools were provided with the new technological equipment on condition of self-improvement of the school feeding infrastructure (including renovation of canteens).

      First positive results of the UN WFP project attracted the high attention from the Government side and lead to the development and implementation of the National School Feeding Programme.

      Within the Development of Sustainable School Feeding project a number of strategic documents aimed at establishment of a solid national legal framework for school feeding were developed.

      In 2013 Sustainable School Feeding Strategy and Action plan were adopted by the Government.

      The main objective of the Strategy is introducing the sustainable school feeding system throughout the country and providing primary school children with healthy food, which will improve their health, attendance and education quality.

      The Action Plan on Strategy implementation includes a long-term list of tasks aimed at forming a legal and regulatory framework for school feeding, developing the institutional capacity of the Government, piloting the school feeding models, developing and implementing the mechanisms to attract extra-budgetary funds for school feeding development.

      These documents laid the groundwork for phased development of a sustainable school feeding system at the national level.

      Thanks to expertise provided by Russia, the Government of Armenia acknowledged the need for school infrastructure improvement and National School Feeding Programme was launched. The National School Feeding Programme financed by the national budget has been firstly implemented in 3 regions with the 4th to join this year.

      Starting next year, the National Programme will cover 6 provinces subsequently covering all ten provinces of Armenia.

      The Programme activities proved to the Government of Armenia that it is essential to establish a specific institution with a clear mandate and a wide range of competencies as school feeding is a complex area covering and linking different sectors such as education, health, social security, agriculture and national economy. Thus, it was decided to establish the Sustainable School Feeding Foundation that is going to be responsible for all management processes.

      The main task of the Foundation is to strengthen school feeding in Armenia and providing all schoolchildren of the country with balanced, safe and high quality hot school meals.

      The Foundation’s main objectives:

      improve national policies and legislation related to school feeding;

      oversee and strengthen coordination of national bodies and interested parties involved in school feeding;

      enhance Sustainable School Feeding Programme efficiency,

      improve financing mechanism to ensure School Feeding Programme sustainability;

      fundraise to improve school feeding in the country;

      capacity building of the personnel involved in implementation of the school feeding programme;

      promote healthy lifestyle and healthy eating habits;

      support and develop local food production to supply schools with good quality food for school meals;

      enhance participation of local communities, parents, donors and business enterprises in development of school feeding.

       

      Funding and technical assistance of your example

      Initially the Foundation will be supported by the World Food Programme.

      When the Government of Armenia is fully in charge of the implementation of the National School Feeding Programme, the Foundation activities will be financed by the national budget.

       

      Key stakeholders involved. Describe the cross-sectoral coordination mechanism of your example, if any

      The Foundation charter and strategy development has been carried out in close cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Science and Inter-Ministerial Working Group established by the Decree of the Minister of Education and Science on June 24, 2015.

      The Inter-Ministerial Working Group was created to coordinate implementation of the National School Feeding Programme. The Working Group comprised representatives from the Ministries of education, health, agriculture, social affairs, and territorial administration.

      Some local educational authorities and other school community actors also provided valuable inputs contributing to the Foundation documents development process.

       

      How your example addresses food security and nutrition challenges? Describe linkages to social protection policies / school food programmes / sustainable food systems

      Despite the joint achievements of UN WFP and National Government over the last seven years of the school feeding programme implementation, Armenia is still facing malnutrition - with the coexistence of under-nutrition, over-nutrition and micronutrient deficiencies - country’s growing challenge, with 19 percent of children being stunted, 15 percent being overweight or obese though with substantial micronutrient deficiencies.

      School feeding goes beyond the Ministry of Education mandate as it includes such issues as cooperation with local food producers, health and social safety nets. That is why every country should establish an institution to coordinate cooperation of different governmental bodies involved in providing students with healthy and nutritious school meals thus providing a complex approach.

      The newly established Sustainable School Feeding Foundation is going to address these and other problems related to healthy diets of schoolchildren of Armenia and ensure coordination between different governmental bodies and institutions involved in school feeding. The Foundation is going to:

      - oversee effective provision of healthy, diverse and balanced school meals to all schoolchildren of the country;

      - contribute to improving quality of education, public health service and social protection of schoolchildren;

      - promote healthy lifestyle and healthy eating habits in schools.

      The Sustainable School Feeding Foundation is going to be in charge of managing school feeding programmes in all provinces of the Republic of Armenia funded by the national budget including:

      - development and implementation of projects aimed at improving school infrastructure essential to provide school meals;

      - development and implementation of projects aimed at transitioning schools to advanced school feeding models;

      - support schoolyards development to diversify school meals;

      - methodical support of schools implementing school feeding programmes;

      - raising awareness of communities and stakeholders of the National sustainable school feeding programme;

      - engagement of parents, communities and business entities to school feeding programme implementation at the local level;

      - informational support of the National sustainable school feeding programme.

       

      What are the elements needed for the practice to be institutionally, socially, economically and environmentally resilient and/or sustainable?

      Some of the key factors required in order to ensure sustainable functioning of the Foundation are:

      Adoption of the new National School Feeding Development Strategy for the period of 2017 – 2025 envisaging finalization of transition of school feeding programme from WFP assistance to national ownership (the Government of the Republic of Armenia).

      Commitment and engagement from all authorities with competence in elaborating and implementing school feeding programme, from the relevant Ministries (Education and Science, Labour and Social Issues, Agriculture, Health, Economy, Territorial Administration and Development) to provincial authorities.

      Financial allocation from the national budget to provide sufficient funding to implement the Foundation Strategy.

       

      The impact of your example on national policies and people’s lives. What indicators have been used to measure it?

      The National School Feeding Programme has been implemented since 2014 in three provinces – Vayots Dzor, Syunik and Ararat and provides schools with 140 AMD (approximately $0.30) per day per child from the national budget for feeding of students of grades 1-4. The students are provided with hot meals on a daily basis.

      As of December, 2015, the National Programme covers:

      Vayots Dzor - 45 schools, 2427 children

      Syunik - 110 schools, 6197 children

      Ararat - 109 schools, 13158 children.

      In general, the National Programme covers approximately 22000 primary school children and preschool children.

      In September 2017, 75 schools in Tavush province also joined the National School Feeding Programme. These schools are being repaired with the support of international organizations and local NGOs working in Tavush and equipped with the required production equipment with the support of the WFP.

      The similar work on improvement of basic conditions of schools required for the school feeding arranging is planned in Shirak. Hot meals are considered as the basic model of school meals.

      The process of Sustainable School Feeding Foundation establishment is still in progress. However, it is clear that a national institution that is mandated and accountable for the implementation of the school feeding programme is considered to be a best practice.

      The Foundation will have adequate resources and knowledgeable staff to manage the school feeding programme and will ensure a complex approach to providing healthy, nutritional and balanced meals to schoolchildren hence addressing the problem of malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies across the country.

       

      Key lessons (positive and negative) that can be learned from your example and how gaps, obstacles and any other adverse conditions were addressed

      There has been the increased interest from the Government of Armenia to school feeding since the “Development of Sustainable School Feeding” project was launched in 2010.

      Right now the Ministry of Education and Science is taking the lead coordinating efforts of different Ministries to address school feeding issues.

      Provincial authorities are eager to move from snack to hot feeding modality, however, shortages of funds do not allow to do that.

      There is lack of coordination between the Ministry of Education and Science and Ministry of Agriculture leading to lack of implementation of mechanisms to increase local production purchases from small holders.

       

      Sources and/or additional background material 

      https://reliefweb.int/report/armenia/wfp-armenia-country-brief-july-2017

      http://www.un.am/en/news/625

      http://www1.wfp.org/countries/armenia

      See the attachments:

    • Author of submission

      Elena Bolotnikova, Director on International Cooperation, Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute

      Title of your example

      The school-based bakeries pilot

      Theme

      ☒Sustainable food systems for improved nutrition

      Date, location and geographic scope of your example (regional, sub-regional, national, local)

      2015-2016, Norak and Roghun cities of Tajikistan, local

      Main responsible entity(ies) for the implementation of your example

      The school-based bakery pilot is a UN WFP and Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI) collaboration project within the UN WFP School Meals Programme. The project was supported by the Republican and local governments.

      Key objectives and implementation approach of your example

      Bakeries play important role in food chain supply for school feeding. Bread is staple food being the source of essential nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fiber. Comprehensive assessment of state of school feeding in Tajikistan conducted by SIFI revealed that there are several ways of schools providing their students with bread:

      schools bake bread themselves in tandoor or bread machine;

      parents can bake bread at home and bring to school;

      schools can buy bread in shops or in the market;

      private bakeries can bake bread for schools.

      Other research reported that baking bakery products on the basis of one school of the district and supplying them to neighbouring schools is the most economically efficient and sustainable bread production and delivery model. Schools submit forms specifying amount of bread they need, and school bakery delivers bread products in accordance to them.

      School bakeries create employment opportunities for local communities and can sell surpluses in local markets. Profit gained from bread sales can replenish school feeding fund. Raised funds can be spent to diversity school meals and improve school infrastructure.

      School bakeries ensure quality control of bread baking process, stable supply of bread and compliance with sanitation and hygiene standards.

      The overarching goal of the project is to improve the school ration by including high quality nutritious bread and to provide schools with additional funding for school feeding development.

      Key objectives:

      centralization of bakery production in order to improve the quality and safety of bread provided to schoolchildren;

      creation of additional workplaces in bakeries;

      creation of a potential income-generating opportunity of schools that allows to obtain additional financial source, replenish extra-budgetary school feeding funds and direct this money for the further improvement of children feeding.

      Two schools were chosen at the initial stage of this project. The criteria for schools selection were: the school director’s consent to take responsibility for the arrangement of the bakery, assistance in repairing the placements, support of the executive local authorities and the presence of a professional baker at school staff.

      After receiving the agreement from the directors these schools became centers for the creation of the pilot bakeries supplying bread to neighboring (pre-selected) schools. Schools were provided with the technical assistance in equipping of bakeries, training of staff, and obtaining of all necessary documents and permits from local regulatory authorities. As a result of this, two bakeries were established in school №3 in Norak and school №1 in Roghun to produce bread for their own needs and needs of eight schools in Roghun and 14 schools in Norak.

      In addition to production component these pilots should create a sustainable and long-term mechanism allowing schools not only to produce bread and meeting demands of the pilot and neighbouring schools, but also to sell surpluses at the local market in order to obtain additional finances for schools. These funds can be spent to diversify school menu and improve school infrastructure.

      Funding and technical assistance of your example

      SIFI specialists solved a wide range of tasks.

      SIFI analyzed the situation related to the production of bread in the regions, consulted executive local authorities (Hukumats) and carried out selection of schools, which could participate in the pilot project.

      After that SIFI specialists consulted school directors and negotiated with them in order to receive their agreement.

      During the subsequent technical stage SIFI prepared the feasibility studies of the projects and all the necessary documentation, including plans of placement’s repair and schemes of infrastructure communication’s installation.

      The following step, completed by SIFI specialists, comprised equipment selection, its installation, supervision of repair and support in obtaining all the permits by schools.

      SIFI conducted training of cooks and developed recipes and technological cards for the production of baked goods.

      The pilot project was the part of funded by the Government of the Russian Federation WFP development project.

      Key stakeholders involved. Describe the cross-sectoral coordination mechanism of your example, if any

      Project management: UN WFP

      Implementing partner: Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI)

      National partners: Ministry of Health and Social Protection, hukumats (executive local authorities).

      The first cross-sectoral coordination mechanism is Intergovernmental Coordination Council of School Feeding Development. It was established by the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan in 2013 and currently headed by the First Deputy Minister of Health and Social Protection of Population of the Republic of Tajikistan. The Council includes representatives of: Ministry of Education and Science, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Ministry of Labor, Migration and Employment of the Republic of Tajikistan.

      Also Council includes the members of the Institute of Nutrition of the Republic of Tajikistan and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance Service, Agency for Standardization, Metrology, Certification and Supervision in the Sphere of Trade.

      This mechanism allows to solve all problems at the initial stages of project implementation, taking into account the interests of all stakeholders and the requirements of national ministries.

      The second cross-sectoral coordination mechanism is the Supervision Board, which manages work of the bakery and has a decision making functions.

      The Supervisory Board is elected at a general meeting of the schools. The Chairman of the Supervisory Board, elected by the members of the Supervisory Board, organizes the work of the Board.

      The Supervisory Board is responsible for the management and monitoring of the operation of the bakery. The Board will also assume the management of the budget, collection and disbursement of the funds in relation to the Bakery work, as well as the control of the commercial activities and financial resources generated through these activities, in accordance with the general purpose frameworks defined by the programme.

      The Board has an overall decision making mandate in resolving other issues related to the operation of the bakeries, production and realization of the produce of the bakery.

      The Supervisory Board holds ordinary meetings on a quarterly basis, called by the chairman of the Board.

      School provides quarterly reports on the production and financial operations to the Supervisory Board.

      This project was launched by WFP UN with technical assistance of SIFI. The local government (hukumat) is supporting School No1 in Roghun with electricity costs, and also invests in renovation work. In Norak the local government supported the bakery in transporting bread to recipient schools.

      How your example addresses food security and nutrition challenges. Describe linkages to social protection policies / school food programs / sustainable food systems

      In the Republic of Tajikistan the national policy of school feeding is going through development stage. Concept and Strategy of school feeding development approved by the Government, but the national school feeding programme, financed from the Republican budget is absent. It planned to be developed and launched by 2020.

      Nowadays there is WFP UN school feeding programme. Within this programme WFP delivers to school products for cooking hot meals, in particular fortified wheat flour, sunflower oil, salt and peas.

      The significant innovation of WFP development project was provision of technical assistance to schools and re-equipment of school canteens.

      Despite of WFP efforts and donors assistance, even these component could not help to solve the general problem – the sustainability of school feeding.

      Taking it into account, WFP and SIFI took the decision to test new pilot project – to provide schools with income-generating opportunity for the substantive development of school meals.

      Bakeries were the optimal matter-of-course decision. Bread is traditionally part of feeding rations, including feeding of children at schools. In most cases schools either buy bread from private suppliers without any guarantee of quality of such products or obtain it from poorly equipped bakeries with extremely bad conditions.

      Conducting a technical audit of schools in Norak SIFI specialists had an opportunity to look at the old bakery produced bread for schoolchildren. Bread was baked in unsatisfactory sanitary conditions using equipment, the service life of which had expired a long time ago. The room for baking was in emergency condition. Plaster hanged on the ceiling, the walls were completely in cracks and stains, and in some places the darkening similar to mold was also visible. The dough was kneaded in a wooden trough or bath. Prepared dough was baked in a roasting cupboard manufactured in Soviet period. In addition to this extreme conditions the production of bread required full-time employee of the baker.

      Faced with such situation and estimated the scale of the problem UN WFP and SIFI decided to combine two tasks in one project – 1) to improve the quality and safety of baked goods; 2) to provide schools with the income-generating opportunity to product additional bread and sell it (within the confines of the school or in the local market) and thereby to generate an additional source of funding.

      Baking bread inside the school in a well-equipped kitchen saves time, allows students to observe a professional bread baking process and most importantly improves the overall quality of the bread served to the children. The work of the bakeries to be overseen by quality assurance committees, who have all received training, comprising of the school director, a teacher and a nurse.

      The school bakery, apart from the evident nutritional benefits and well-being of students, also presents an economic opportunity for the community as a whole, boosting local markets through purchase of local produce, creating local job opportunities and promoting agriculture.

      The aspect of social protection should also be mentioned. This pilot project is acting in the interests of all primary schoolchildren but for poor families it’s role is more significant, because it helps to save household finances. After launch of the mechanism of surpluses sale some benefits for low-income families will also be provided.

      Thus this pilot project is designed to show in practice how it is possible to solve the problem with school meals at the local level (and with small investments). It provides quality bread to schoolchildren provide the opportunity to diversify the menu, solving the problem with the absence of micronutrients, using the extrabudgetary fund, which will be replenished through the sale of bakery products.

      What are the elements needed for the practice to be institutionally, socially, economically and environmentally resilient and/or sustainable?

      First result of the project show that recipient schools are satisfied with this improvement of school feeding. All recipient schools appreciate and highly mark the work of pilot bakeries. With that at the national level we don’t have a document which would stimulate schools to this kind of activity. Tax exemptions and various encouraging can be recommended.

      A problem with energy also exists, so in order for the school-based bakeries to be sustainable it is necessary for the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan to ensure that extra energy consumption costs related to bread production are covered by the Ministry of Finance. Currently there are some steps in this direction in framework of pilot projects, but the clean institutional document is required. The document that will regulate the relationship between central bakeries and recipient school is also required.

      More active participation of local authorities also can be recommended, especially in the process of delivery of prepared baked goods to recipient schools. This participation must be designed legally.

      Schools should develop all necessary documentation to register bakeries as legal entities to allow them to sell surpluses to secondary school children or at local markets in order to raise funds for schools. So consulting support in preparation of documents is required. Moreover business trainings for directors and staff also can be recommended.

      The impact of your example on national policies and people’s lives. What indicators have been used to measure it?

      Beneficiaries of school bakeries are 3935 school children (2547 in Norak and 1388 in Roghun).

      From the point of view of national policy this project is a successful example of sustainable school feeding mechanism, which can be extended to the whole country.

      From the point of view of the current impact on people’s lives it improves the quality of nutrition of schoolchildren, improves their health, increases efficiency of educational process and contributes to households’ economy.

      From the point of view of medium and long-term perspective this project will help to build a constant sustainable mechanism integrated in national system of school feeding. Its impact includes improvement of primary school children’s nutrition, aid to secondary school children via selling buns in the school, significant household economy, creating of new work places, improving the economic situation of farmers involved in the supply of local products (as a consequence of the last two points - the development of the whole region), further improving the health of children due to enhancement of school meals as a result of receiving an additional source of income after the sale of bread in the local market.

      Key indicators of current impact are the number of recipients, the volume of products and the timeliness of its delivery to recipient schools.

      Key lessons (positive and negative) that can be learned from your example and how gaps, obstacles and any other adverse conditions were addressed

      Positive key lessons:

      better quality bread is produced by school bakeries;

      school administration is able to control quality of bread;

      new kitchen equipment saves time needed for bread production;

      the project showed its relevance and practicality, there are good reasons for its spread to the national level.

      Negative key lessons:

      despite the preparation of agreement related to the payment of electricity, relationships between school bakeries and recipient schools are managed on the basis of oral agreements. It’s necessary to develop an agreement that will regulate this relationship;

      school headmasters are not taking steps necessary to produce additional baked in order to sell it to secondary school children or in the local markets. To register the bakery as a legal business entity, schools should prepare a wide range of documents, including permissions from executive local authorizes, State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance Service, an energy saving company, antimonopoly authorities and fire services. The absence of these necessary steps reflects not only the bureaucracy of the entire system, but also the feelings of directors who fear numerous inspections in the future. More dense work with school directors and direct support in preparation of documents should be recommended.

      in some cases bakery staff avoids the new kitchen equipment. It requires additional briefing and regular supervision at each stage of projects;

      the aid provided by executive local authorities, which acts as a private initiative of a current Hukumat chief, may be over with his retirement. By that reason any support from executive local authorities should be decorated legally.

      the absence of delineation of participants responsibility is noticeable. The development of full comprehensive agreement regulating this aspect is also recommended.

      Sources and/ or additional background material

      http://news.tj/ru/news/vpp-otkryla-v-tadzhikistane-pilotnuyu-shkolnuyu-…

      https://www.wfp.org/news/news-release/wfp-inaugurates-pilot-school-bake…

      See the attachments: