Action Plan for Ghana

Draft document – working document

Impressions/Findings Visit to Brazil

Existing in Ghana Objectives Actions Responsible

Legal and Policy framework Strong comprehensive legal and institutional framework for food and nutrition security and school feeding Food is a right (the Human Right to Adequate Food is included in the Constitution as a social right) School Feeding as an investment (x expenditure) – prevent school evasion, contribute to fight hunger, increase learning performance Strong political will and commitment in all three federative levels (federal, state, municipality)

Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (GSGDA 2010 – 2013) Technical Assistance Plan – TAP School Feeding Policy (being developed) Nutrition Policy (Awaiting Cabinet Approval) FASDEP II/CAADP Pillar III (METASIP) Ghana School Feeding Programme Document (2007-2010) Strong Political Will and Commitment

Secure funds for the national school feeding programme Fight hunger and malnutrition (MDG 1) Increase school enrollment, attendance, retention (MDG 2) Enhance domestic agricultural production (increase food production, farmers’ income and food quality) Institutionalize social accountability Promote school gardening to enhance nutrition

Prepare a legal framework (School Feeding is an Investment in Human Capital) Right to Food

Strengthen the link between school feeding and small farmers

Strengthen inter-sectoral approach: collaboration among relevant ministries

Advocacy: awareness raising of the executive and legislative powers

Mobilize civil society organizations

Consultations at all levels concerning the need for a legal framework Some highlights for the law:

Include purchase from small farmers

Discuss the possibilities of linking

Involvement of different sectors (agriculture, health, education, finance, environment) at different levels (federal, state and municipality)

Multi-sectoral approach to the implementation of GSFP

school feeding with other existing social protection interventions

Structure/Operations/Institutional Arrangements/Source of Funding etc

Role of Nutritionist

Coverage (Who & Where)

Scope

Impressions/Findings Visit to Brazil

Existing in Ghana Ob jectives Actions Responsible

Financial capacity Public investment – not an expenditure Financial involvement in different levels Sharing responsibilities between states and municipalities Legal framework is able to secure sources of funds for the programme

Budget Line for School Feeding from GoG Support from WFP Support from other NGOs - PCD, SNV etc

- Secure the expansion of budget for homegrown school feeding

- Increase resource mobilization (from development partners, private sector, others)

- Improve the management

system and financial operations

Discuss the modalities of financial sustainability and extent of community participation in homegrown school feeding

Strengthen financial mechanisms to enhance accountability in the implementation of homegrown school feeding

Organize an advocacy

workshop to promote the idea of “school feeding as an investment”

Produce advocacy materials and Media outreach

Organise field visits for DPs in

Strong government commitment is reverted in significant investments

order to solicit for funds Explore the possibility of

special levies / contributions / donations to support School Feeding

Impressions/Findings Visit to Brazil

Existing in Ghana Objectives

Actions Responsible

Institutional framework National Food and Nutrition Security Council – CONSEA Interministerial Chamber for food and nutrition security - CAISAN School feeding is integrated in a food and nutrition security system

Programme Steering Committee Establishment of a National School Feeding Secretariat District/ School Implementation Committees

Improve the collaboration between different stakeholders in home grown school feeding Build government (central and decentralized) and community capacity to implement homegrown school feeding

Strengthen the Programme Steering Committee ( Capacity building) Periodic Technical Committee Meetings (Bi – Monthly) Improve information sharing (horizontal and vertical) Strengthen the local level activities (DICs, FBOs, SICs, Caterers) – Trainings, Workshops, Seminars, Exchange Visits, Monitoring etc.

Impressions/Findings Visit to Brazil

Existing in Ghana Objectives Actions Responsible

Design and Implementation Nutritionist is mandatory for the programme implementation – established by law Need to strengthen/consolidate awareness of the content of the school feeding law in the implementation process Formalized link to agriculture – school feeding as local market opportunities for family

Feed children in selected public primary schools with one hot nutritious meal on every school day with locally produced food Feeding is targeted mostly at deprived communities Feeding of the children is a decentralized activity Service providers are contracted to provide food to pupils using at least 80% of locally produced foodstuffs WFP also providing one hot

To reduce poverty and improve food security Increase enrolment, attendance and retention Reduce short term hunger and malnutrition Boost domestic food production

Organize refresher training for government officials and other key stakeholders in the implementation of the school feeding programme Define and communicate roles and responsibilities to key stakeholders on school feeding from central to local level Improve data collection and information management system Strengthen National Food Buffer Stock Company operations with the SFP ( Training, exchange visits, seminars, etc) Establish nutritional standards for the

farmers Diversified menu – healthy and adequate food + use/introduction of family farmers’ products (fresh food delivered at school – promotion of diversification of meals) Important level of development of family farmers´ productive and organizational capacity (access to credit with grace period, cooperatives, processing possibilities) Focus on more structured family farmers Quality is a priority at the purchase from smallholders` farmers or school feeding Social accountability component – school feeding

nutritious food to schools in the deprived regions Linking small farmers to service providers (Caterers) is being studied Ghana Education Service transports WFP food to the schools Five ministries are involved and being coordinated by MLGRD Technical assistance Plan – TAP M& E System is being developed at the national level for all levels Food and Drugs Board ensures the food safety at the schools

SFP Strengthen the links between P4P and school feeding Increase utilization of smallholder farmers produce Expedite the development of M&E systems at all levels

council + food and nutrition security council

District/Municipality level Presence of nutritionist

Different modalities of implementation Local food included in the menu

Impressions/Findings Visit to Brazil

Existing in Ghana Objectives Actions Responsible

Community Participation School Feeding Council – accountability and reporting (institution of control, transparence, supervision, monitoring at local level) Social accountability component – school feeding council + food and nutrition security council

Community participation is not formalized (some communities support the actual cooking, kitchens construction, provide fuel, condiments, water, etc) District/School Implementation Committees

Enhance social accountability Enhance ownership of the programme at the local level

Prepare a strategy for sensitizing communities Strengthen school level activities (Training, workshops etc) Strengthen collaboration with independent civil society organization