FG School Feeding Programme To Create Multi-Billion Naira Market

Lagos – The Federal Government’s school feeding programme, known as Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF), would create a multi-billion naira market for agricultural produce, according to stakeholders.

The prediction, according to them, is based on expectations that the programme would be well harnessed and nurtured to deliver on its promise in a near perfect environment.

They also expressed hope that the bourgeoning industry would increase bank support and partnership among those involved in the agricultural value chain.

According to the stakeholders, a key beneficiary of the programme would be the rural economy, which is expected to grow massively over the years.

Stakeholders, who spoke with Independent, noted that the development would encourage more people venturing into farming.

Adeola Elliott, Chairman of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Agric and Agro-Allied Group, said the programme would make every segment fully engaged, thereby boosting production and increasing activities along agricultural value chain.

He also envisaged increased bank support and partnership among agricultural value chain practitioners, adding that through strong sustained collaboration demands would be met.

Dr. Ayoola Oduntan, National President, Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN), who is also the Group Managing Director of NatnudO Foods, said the association has the capacity to meet various demands and challenges that might arise from the programme.

He said the association advocated the inclusion of eggs and poultry foods in the meals to be given to the school children, stressing that if the association was given the necessary support in terms of funds and materials, it would meet the demands.

“The local poultry sector has the capacity to produce and meet the poultry demands that will arise from the new government policy of home grown school feeding programme.

“Meeting local consumption demand is achievable in two years at the rate we are growing; we only need patience and support, but if we are denied such it might take up to another four years before we can attain that level”, he noted.

Dr. Mabel Yarhere, Director of National Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, said that from the fishery aspect, the programme would encourage more people to go into fish farming because they would be sure that there will be ready market for their products and will therefore have time to produce more.

Anga Sotonye, an agribusiness strategist, noted that the initiative was a good one because it would stimulate demands for agricultural produce.

“We need to support the initiative because guaranteed market is what we need to improve the livelihood of our farmers; the school feeding programme, if given all that is required, is going to be a multi-spiral for our farmers to create a multi-billion dollar market for farm produce, particularly in the rural areas, our rural economy is going to develop massively”, he noted.

Sotonye said, “We cannot use imported products to feed our school children. If we are going to feed these children with rice, for example, it has to be local rice; it should not be imported.

“So, we must ensure 100 percent local content for it to really make sense.”

Speaking further, he said banks would be compelled to finance the project because there would be guaranteed payment.

“Banks will be happy to finance and support the programme because there is a guaranteed market; so, they will be encouraged to finance those who will be involved.”

However, James Marsh, a food safety expert, stated that the Federal Government might need to consider food safety as a crucial part of the programme.

He advised that the raw materials that would be used to prepare the foods must first be certified, stressing that government or those that would monitor the process must visit those that would prepare the foods to ensure proper hygiene.

Marsh said they must ensure that they meet certain health requirements, otherwise it would defeat the purpose and the school children would be at risk.

He further stated that the government must work closely with the commodity associations to make it succeed.

“They should not just buy from anywhere; there has to be control; the food has to be traced to certain people if anything is detected,” he said.

The HGSF is part of a N500 billion funded social investment initiative announced by the Muhammadu Buhari administration to tackle poverty and improve the health and education of children and other vulnerable groups.

When fully realised, the school feeding component of this programme aims to support states to collectively feed over 24 million school children, which will make it the largest school feeding programme of its kind in Africa.

Specifically, the government will provide free school meals with food procured from local smallholder farmers with the intention to strengthen communities across the country by increasing school enrolment and completion as Nigeria currently has a primary school dropout rate of around 30 percent.

Nigeria has the third largest population of chronically undernourished children in the world, and the programme is, therefore, targeted at improving child nutrition and health.

Overall, the programme is expected to strengthen local agricultural economies by providing a school feeding market in which farmers can sell their produce, and this will, additionally, create employment opportunities in catering, processing, farming, among other value chains.