Sindh, WFP launch Rs578mn School Meals Pilot project in Malir

Business Recorder

02-05-2025

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Coco Ushiyama, the Country Director of the World Food Programme (WFP), discussed collaborative efforts in maternal and child healthcare and launching Rs578.39 million pilot project for school meals in the Malir District, to provide daily meals to 11,000 primary school students in grades Kachhi to 5, with the goal of improving their learning, attendance, and nutrition.
The meeting, held at CM House, focused on enhancing ongoing initiatives such as the Nashonuma and Mamta programs and decided on a joint effort to combat malnutrition and improve school retention through a new school feeding scheme, said a statement on Thursday.
It was attended by PSCM Agha Wasif, Chairman P&D Najam Shah, Secretary School Education Zahid Abbasi, Secretary Social Protection Department Muzamil Halepoto, and Secretary Health Rehan Baloch. The WFP delegation consisted of Hilde Bergsama, Head of the Provincial Office, and Policy Officer Salma Yaqub.
Ushiyama provided an overview of WFP's current programs in Sindh, with a special emphasis on Maternal and Child Nutrition (MCN). She discussed areas, including stunting, wasting, Conditional Cash Transfers (CCT), and food supplement distribution to address malnutrition.
Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah expressed appreciation for WFP's contributions and shared details of the Sindh government's health-focused initiatives.
These initiatives include support for pregnant and lactating women, as well as children suffering from malnutrition, through two major programs: the federal Benazir Income Support Program's (BISP) Nashonuma initiative and the provincial Mother and Child Support Program (Mamta).
The meeting also addressed concerns regarding the perceived duplication between the two programs. It was concluded that while some overlaps exist, the designs of the two programs are largely complementary. BISP Nashonuma targets beneficiaries through the national Kafalat registry, while the Mamta program allows for self-enrollment across 15 Sindh districts.
It was agreed that both initiatives should continue, given their shared goal of improving maternal and child health among the ultra-poor. While Nashonuma is focused primarily on food supplements, Mamta emphasises financial support through CCTs.
To enhance coordination and reduce redundancy, three action points were established, including revisiting the technical designs of both programs to align conditionalities for inclusive service delivery; establishing a two-way data-sharing mechanism to identify overlaps, optimise resources, and fill service gaps; and developing a joint enrollment and targeting framework to streamline beneficiary identification and service delivery.
The Chief Minister and the WFP delegation also agreed to explore future joint interventions to address the impacts of climate change, particularly concerning Sindh's vulnerable populations.
The Sindh government and WFP will co-finance a one-year pilot of the School Meals Project in Malir District for the 2025–26 school year, Rs 578.39 million. The program aims to provide daily hot meals to 11,000 primary school students (Grades Kachhi to 5) to improve learning, attendance, and nutrition.
The Sindh government will contribute Rs 462.71 million (80 per cent), while WFP will provide Rs 115.68 million (20pc). This initiative is designed to combat classroom hunger, enhance concentration and academic performance, and reduce gender disparities by incentivising girls' education.
A centralised kitchen system will be established for meal preparation, packaging, and distribution. The meals will include lentils, rice/bread, vegetables, and a weekly serving of fruit. The Sindh Food Authority, along with a dedicated Food Safety Officer, will ensure hygiene and nutritional standards. WFP will oversee implementation through a third-party contractor and will lead monitoring, evaluation, and reporting.
The pilot will specifically target peri-urban schools in Malir that have basic infrastructure, clean water, and sanitation facilities. Schools must also meet minimum student enrollment thresholds.
A robust monitoring system will track key metrics such as enrollment, retention, and attendance, to maintain 70 pc daily attendance. WFP will conduct baseline and endline evaluations to inform potential scaling-up across Sindh. Data from the Education Management Information System (EMIS) and school records will be utilised to measure impact.
The Chief Minister emphasised that, beyond educational benefits, the project is expected to reduce malnutrition, stimulate local job creation through food procurement, and strengthen community food systems. He also highlighted the program's potential to empower girls by providing targeted incentives and improving school participation.
'The pilot will offer crucial insights into sustainable school meal delivery models and guide future efforts for scaling up across Sindh,' Murad Shah concluded.