School milk in Ethiopia: Toward a grassroots dynamic

Yet not all children benefit from this opportunity equally. Despite overall positive progress, the inclusion of children in a national school feeding programme is still low in many countries. For example, only 8% of primary school children are enrolled in a national school feeding programmes in Ethiopia. While it is evident that centralized initiatives by government- and donor-funded school feeding have to be scaled up and strengthened, it is also evident that parents and communities are already playing their role as caretakers and are investing in their child nutrition at school.

School feeding in low-income countries has been historically focused on providing calories for children, notably through cereals, legumes and oil. This model – focused on efficiency, on keeping food costs low and on standardization with centralized procurement – has gradually evolved to consider the nutritional quality of the food proposed, with more attention to micronutrients and specific food and nutrient gaps.

SNV led BRIDGE project in Ethiopia has been for several years now supporting and stimulating parents, communities and local government to invest and grow school feeding with the inclusion of dairy products. Based on lesson learned, each school year the approach has been adapted and improved.

Dairy – boiled milk, traditional yoghurt or probiotic yoghurt – was selected as a strategic food commodity, given local availability, low consumption, nutritional profile, potential to cover dietary gaps, ease of consumption in schools as a snack and rapid acceptance by children. These benefits outweigh the relatively higher costs of dairy in some regions, potential risks such as foodborne pathogens and overall low milk quality.

In the school year 2022/2023, subsidies were given to schools to start school milk with volunteer parents and over time the subsidies were gradually removed to pass the financial responsibility to parents. While this system allowed to start of school milk in private schools, the capacity of parents in public schools to bear the cost of school milk alone was not successful at scale.

To remedy this issue, the school milk strategy in 2023/2024 was focused on stimulating awareness at the local government level of the positive elements of school milk and supporting operational planning and fundraising. Several municipalities, despite the challenges, were able to pool resources from multiple sources such as the city budget, private sector contributions, government building rentals, development grants or parents contributions. More than 40’000 children were regularly receiving milk or yoghurt multiple times per week. It is evident that strong government leadership was needed and the mandate given around school milk to local development agencies (Tigrean Development Agency or Bussabogofa in Oromiya) was also an excellent way to strengthen the initiative.

Building on that lesson and wanting to extend the benefit of school milk to more children, our effort focuses now on enabling local government and development agencies to promote school milk and organize efficient fundraising. And as school demand grows, we will continue to ensure that the local production keeps pace while maintaining quality standards and control from the farm to the school.

Strategic Shift to Local Development Organization-Led Model

The SNV BRIDGE+ project is currently transitioning from a government-led approach to one that is driven by local development organizations, as directed by the regional government. Given the various competing agendas, busy schedules, and frequent turnover of government officials, prioritizing local development organizations for the school feeding program is a strategic choice. Among others, the following are key reasons for a shift:

1. Local Ownership and Trust
Local organizations are deeply embedded in their communities, fostering trust and credibility. This is crucial for engaging residents and ensuring their participation in school feeding initiatives.

2. Resource Mobilization
These organizations can efficiently mobilize resources from local members and corporate partners, enhancing the sustainability of the program. This reduces reliance on external funding, making the program more resilient.

3. Proven Effectiveness
The Tigray Development Association's successes demonstrate the effectiveness of community-driven initiatives. Their positive impact showcases how local organizations can tailor programs to meet specific community needs effectively.

4. Adaptability to Local Needs
Local organizations can swiftly adapt to changing community dynamics, which is essential in environments marked by competing agendas and the frequent turnover of government officials.

5. Sustainable Impact
Prioritizing local organizations leads to a more sustainable program. They possess the insight and understanding required to address unique local challenges, ensuring the program's long-term viability and relevance.

This strategic shift towards a model driven by local development organizations is promising. It aligns well with the community's needs and resources, fostering ownership and sustainability of the school feeding program. Following the positive outcomes achieved by the Tigray Development Association and similar organizations, this approach has the potential to create a lasting impact in the community.

Overall, implementing this model could significantly enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of the school feeding initiative, ensuring that it is well-integrated into the community's socio-economic fabric.