Timor-Leste: Workshop on Home-Grown School Feeding
17/09/2024
Background
Merenda Eskolar is a home-grown school feeding program in Timor-Leste that prioritizes sourcing locally produced food.
From 2022 to 2023, FAO implemented a project to connect small-scale food producers (SSFPs) with stable markets within Merenda Eskolar.
In the Manufahi municipality, the project tested the aggregation and delivery of locally produced food to food preparers at 18 targeted schools, benefiting nearly 2,500 students in total. This initiative included upgrading kitchen tools and equipment, installing water filtration systems, and providing nutrition, food safety, and hygiene training to food preparers, student parents, and local small-scale food producers. The training combined different methods, including in-class lessons, group work and practical cooking sessions, with regular monitoring visits.
In order to discuss the result of the pilot and ideas to scale-up the home-grown approach at national level, FAO is organizing a national workshop that will convene institutional local, national and international partners in the areas of social protection, education, school feeding and economic inclusion of rural populations. A primary objective will be to explore ways for SSFPs to supply the national Merenda Eskolar programme with health and locally produced food. This will include looking at how national and international partners could support the government and local communities in improving the nutritional, educational and economic outcomes for rural households and their children.
Expected outcomes
- Share the experience of FAO’s home-grown school feeding pilot to donors and government partners.
- Raise awareness on the importance of supporting the operationalization at local level of the home-grown approach in school feeding in line Decree Law n. 61/2022, particularly the aggregation and supply of locally grown food to the schools as part of the Merenda Eskolar programme.
- Improve coordination of interventions in support of school meals by national and international partners.