Namibia School Feeding Policy 2019.

The School Feeding Policy provides a framework for the effective and sustainable management of school feeding programmes in Namibia. Its overarching goal is to improve equitable access to quality and inclusive education by ensuring that learners receive nutritious meals that support their health, well-being, and ability to participate fully in the learning process. The policy positions school feeding as an important social protection measure, particularly for children from food-insecure households, while also contributing to improved nutrition and educational outcomes. The policy promotes the procurement and consumption of locally produced food from smallholder farmers, thereby linking school feeding programmes with local agricultural production. Through these linkages, it seeks to strengthen food security, reduce poverty, support local economic development, and create sustainable market opportunities for smallholder producers. To enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of school feeding interventions, the policy also emphasizes the importance of adequate water, sanitation, hygiene, cooking, and dining facilities within schools. In the longer term, the policy aims to contribute to human capital development by improving educational attainment, expanding future employment opportunities for children, and helping to reduce socio-economic inequalities across Namibia. The specific objectives of the Policy are: (i) to enhance access, retention, and learning outcomes by ensuring timely access to diverse and nutritious food in schools, through measures aimed at improving the reliability of food delivery, expanding and upgrading school feeding infrastructure, and progressively extending the programme to secondary schools and Early Childhood Development Centres (ECDs); (ii) to improve the nutrition and health of learners through the provision of balanced and fortified meals, complemented by strengthened health, hygiene, and nutrition education, as well as enhanced food quality and safety standards; (iii) to support smallholder producers by integrating them into the Namibia School Feeding Programme, including through greater use of locally produced foods, capacity-building initiatives for smallholder farmers, and strengthened procurement systems at regional, circuit, and school levels; and (iv) to strengthen coordination and sectoral linkages in the management, implementation, and monitoring of the Namibia School Feeding Programme by advancing decentralization, enhancing monitoring, evaluation and reporting mechanisms, promoting multi-sectoral partnerships, and reinforcing advocacy efforts to ensure the programme’s long-term sustainability and effectiveness.
The Policy provides comprehensive guidance for the implementation of the Namibia School Feeding Programme across key areas, including eligibility, targeting, meal provision, infrastructure, food safety, and complementary services. It establishes that all learners in public schools from pre-primary to secondary levels are eligible for school feeding, with priority support for food-insecure learners. The programme is implemented nationwide, with schools required to meet minimum standards for water, sanitation, kitchen, storage, and community participation, and with government support provided where these conditions are not yet met. Learners receive at least one nutritious, locally adapted and fortified meal per day, designed according to national nutrition guidelines and age-specific energy requirements. The policy also sets standards for school feeding infrastructure, food storage, handling, and preparation to ensure hygiene, reduce waste, and promote safety, while encouraging sustainable practices such as alternative energy use. In addition, the policy integrates complementary services to enhance overall child development. These include health, hygiene, and nutrition education in schools, promotion of school gardens, micronutrient supplementation and food fortification, deworming programmes, HIV/AIDS awareness and education, improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, and psychosocial support for learners.