Members of the Children's Parliament are calling for stronger parliamentary support for school meal programmes. They made the call at the 149th Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.

The young MPs underscored the pressing issue of food insecurity among learners, emphasising the need for sustainable and effective interventions.

Central to these discussions is the introduction of a new school meal toolkit, developed by the International Parliamentary Network for Education. 

This toolkit aims to equip MPs with evidence-based information and practical guidance to advocate for effective school meal programmes.

MP Prisha Mokotjomela highlighted the negative impact of climate change on local food production.

"In our experience, we see that there is a lack of sustainability and continuity in these programmes, primarily due to insufficient funding and non-compliance with safety regulations. With climate change now affecting our local producers, there has been a decline in school programmes. We find that the programmes offered to our children are not accessible to all regions, particularly those that need them most. Additionally, these programmes do not provide a proper, balanced diet that allows children to benefit fully and be aware of what they are doing in school."

Echoing her sentiments, Gerson Negumbo noted the disparities across Namibia's 14 regions.

"When you go further north, there is a significant divide among schools and resources. As my honourable colleague mentioned, this issue primarily revolves around the sustainability and consistency of these programmes. The problem is not a lack of funding but rather the ineffective distribution that makes it difficult to allocate resources properly. As a result, even when food supplies arrive, they are often insufficient to create a proper diet across all 14 regions."

Negumbo expressed concern that the focus has often shifted toward infrastructure rather than addressing the fundamental issue of food security.

According to IPNED, well-structured school meal programmes are among the most cost-effective interventions to support communities. They are essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goals, such as reducing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition while improving health and education outcomes.