The FCT Minister of State, Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, has stated that beyond education, the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, is a catalyst for local agricultural development, as it relies on locally sourced produce, thereby empowering local farmers and strengthening the rural economy.
The minister made this assertion at the interactive session with stakeholders of the FCT Home-Grown School Feeding Programme across the six area councils in the FCT.
This was contained in a statement released today by the minister’s Special Adviser on Media, Austine Elemue.
Mahmoud, who was represented by the FCT Focal Person on Social Investment Programme (SIP), Hajia Maijidda Kuku, the statement said, also noted that the aim of the interactive session is to reflect on the successes, address the challenges, and chart a sustainable path forward for the scheme.
The minister assured that the FCT administration will continue to do its best within available resources to facilitate the effective operation of the programme, by ensuring that stakeholders hold interactive sessions regularly to help strengthen the operations and community participation in the programme.
While commending government officials, school administrators, community leaders, farmers, cooks, and development partners, for their invaluable contributions, Mahmoud stressed that the FCT administration is making efforts to ensure that no school is left behind.
She called on stakeholders to fashion out innovative ideas, practical solutions, and a spirit of partnership to the stakeholders’ dialogue.
Delivering her goodwill message, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on School Feeding Programme, Dr. Yetunde Adeniyi, said that the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme is a flagship initiative of the federal government, aimed at providing nutritious meals to school children, boosting school enrollment and enhancing learning outcomes.
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She emphasised that since the commencement of the scheme, thousands of children have benefited from daily nutritious meals, leading to increased attendance and retention in schools.
Adeniyi therefore, called on stakeholders to take up responsibilities and confront challenges head-on to ensure the programme’s continuity and effectiveness.
The operation officer of the programme in the FCT, Hauwa Abubakar, who gave the overview of the stakeholders’ meeting, stressed that the dialogue is to get the buy in of the community for better service delivery of the programme, through community engagement, increased level of transparency and accountability of the programme, and linkage of the programme to other empowerment programmes in the FCT.
Also, the representative of World Food Programme, Agnes Mungatia, in her goodwill message, emphasised the need to strengthen collaboration among all stakeholders.
