PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has called for stronger partnerships, investments as well as practical solutions to improve school meal programmes worldwide. Mr Hichilema has also called for increased investment in research and innovation, stronger supply chains, climate-resilient approaches, clean cooking solutions and new financing mechanisms to support sustainable growth. He has described Zambia’s successful school feeding […]

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has called for stronger partnerships, investments as well as practical solutions to improve school meal programmes worldwide.

Mr Hichilema has also called for increased investment in research and innovation, stronger supply chains, climate-resilient approaches, clean cooking solutions and new financing mechanisms to support sustainable growth.

He has described Zambia’s successful school feeding programme as an investment in education, nutrition, health, agriculture and national development.

The President said this in a speech read on his behalf by Vice President, Mutale Nalumango, in Lusaka, at the official opening of the 2026 Global Child Nutrition Forum.

He noted that Zambia’s home-grown school meals programme now reaches more than 5.6 million learners across all 116 districts.

“The programme links schools with local agricultural production, aiming to provide meals while creating markets for local farmers and supporting community economies,” Mr Hichilema stated.

Ukraine First Lady, Olena Zelenski, says Zambia’s success in the School Feeding Programme is well acknowledged and must be a point of reference. 

She stressed that the country’s commitment to turning its vision into action continues to impress the global stage.

Ms Zelenski, who attended the Forum virtually, noted that currently despite the war, Ukraine has about 3 million children benefiting from school meals and further called for equal opportunities in nutritional food for all children.

GCNF Executive Director, Arlene Mitchell, noted that despite world challenges, Zambia continues to thrive in School Meals Programme.

The Global Child Nutrition Forum has attracted participants from Kenya, Cameroon, Ukraine, UAE, United Kingdom, the Republic of Yemen and Nigeria.

Others are from Togo, Sri Lanka, the Kingdom of Sweden, Malawi, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Sudan among others.