The Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education has renewed its call for increased support toward the national school feeding program, as food insecurity continues to affect some regions of the country.

This appeal was made on Tuesday during the launch of a €4.7 million Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) project in Lilongwe, supported by the Italian government.

Minister of Basic and Secondary Education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima, commended Italy for its timely intervention, saying the funding comes at a critical time when some development partners have scaled back their contributions.

“The school feeding project is crucial for children's well-being and academic performance. We appreciate the government of Italy for its support,” Wirima said.

Echoing her sentiments, Stefano Gatti, Director General of Development Cooperation at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, reaffirmed Malawi's status as a priority country for Italian aid in Africa, highlighting that the expansion of the school feeding initiative is part of that commitment.

“We are going to support the Malawi government in different sectors, and the home-grown school feeding project is one of the initiatives we are implementing here,” said Gatti.

Meanwhile, Hyoung Joon Lim, Country Director for the World Food Programme (WFP) in Malawi, emphasized that the organization is closely monitoring the food crisis to design responsive strategies aimed at reducing its impact.

The Home-Grown School Feeding program aims to boost children's health and concentration in school while also supporting local farmers and enhancing community development through improved nutrition and education.

On March 28, 2025, the WFP, Malawi Government, and the Italian Government signed a €4 million agreement to expand HGSF interventions in Chikwawa District.

(Written By: Sarah Tembo)