In Ertharin Cousin’s words, “You can keep saving the same lives every year, we need to make changes to their lives so they don’t need saving”. For some years now, the World Food Program has been committed to arresting starvation engineered primary school dropout. Their efforts date back to 1994 when their pioneering project was incepted and have since worked with 24 schools. WFP has for a long time been using two models; centralised and decentralised model.

In the centralised model processed food items such as Soy-Corn Blend flour are distributed to Schools for social support .In decentralised model, with specific reference to WFP, fund are transferred through the district councils so that schools can purchase food items locally. The problem in the above models was that they lack sustainability strategy once the donors pull out.

Seeing that the model being implemented by FISD in Sustainable Irrigated School Gardens for Sustainable School meals project is sustainable, WFP thought of partnering with FISD to try its model on two schools in Salima and Dedza. The main aim of the project is to reduce school dropout rates among primary school pupils through provision of nutritious schools meals (Mainly Corn-Soya Blend).

Currently, the project is still in its production stage. The year 2017 saw the construction works take shape to almost 90% complete. The only things remaining are pipeline network fittings and elevation of water storage tanks. Since this is rainy season, the schools have been urged to prepare nursery beds in readiness for tomato and onion planting. Actually, the school meals are supposed to be given on a daily basis but for a start the frequency among the schools ranges from two to three times a week. With the inclusion of the agribusiness component in the project, there is greater hope than before that the frequency will surely increase.