fish and other aquatic foods into school meals, as the government seeks to improve nutrition while creating opportunities for local producers and suppliers. Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Child Nutrition Forum side workshop on making fish work in school meals, from…

fish and other aquatic foods into school meals, as the government seeks to improve nutrition while creating opportunities for local producers and suppliers.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Child Nutrition Forum side workshop on making fish work in school meals, from policy ambition to practical implementation, Ms Kapusana highlighted that fish could add high quality protein and essential micronutrients to children’s diets.

Ms Kapusana noted that buying the fish locally could also contribute to economic growth by supporting fishing communities, small-scale aquaculture farmers, processors and other businesses in the aquatic food supply chain.

She called on participants that comprised the private sector, researchers and governments from various countries to share practical experiences and develop recommendations to strengthen supply chains and partnerships in school meals programmes.

The side workshop, was convened by the Zambian government in collaboration with WorldFish, aimed at turning aquatic foods into school meals.

In his closing remarks, the Ministry of Education Permanent Secretary for Educational Services, Dr Kelvin Mambwe reaffirmed government’s commitment to including aquatic foods such as kapenta to school meals.

In a separate side plenary, Chairperson for the United Nations Food System Coordination Hub, Scientific Advisory Committee, Shakuntala Thilsted, called on governments to take deliberate steps in including aquatic foods in the school meals programmes.

Dr Thilsted outlined some call to action in strengthening research on diverse aquatic foods for school meals.

The school meals programme aims to improve learners’ nutrition, health and educational outcomes, while supporting local agri-food economies and poverty reduction.