[AODA members] World Food Aid - Balancing Development and EmergencyAid

[Patricia Thompson]

Hi Stacia

I thought you might like to know of the Global Child Nutrition
Forum/Foundation, an effort of the School Nutrition Association (SNA) of the
USA that has been reaching out to other countries to assist them in
developing and sustaining their school feeding/nutrition programs.  I have
attended their meetings for the past three years and the last one was in
collaboration with the World Food Program (WFP) specifically to target their
'AID countries' in developing sustainability strategies.   African countries
were strongly represented in 2007 and they have formed an organization known
as the African Network for School Feeding Programmes (ANSFEP).   I asked
their initiator and Secretary to share the outcomes of last year's efforts
and below is his response.  He is Emmanuel Afoakwa of Ghana who you may wish
to contact.

 

Pat (Jamaica)

 

Dear Patricia,

 

Thank you very much for forwarding this very important mail to us.
Certainly, continuity of the School Feeding Programmes initiated by the
World Food Programme is a major issue on the agenda of both the Global Child
Nutrition Foundation, USA, USAID and the African Network for School Feeding
Programmes (ANSFEP).

 

The determination of these Organizations to see to the smooth take-over and
success of the Programmes were shown at the last Global Child Nutrition
Forum (GCNF

2007) held in Chicago last July, where representatives of 5 countries
running the WFP School Feeding teamed up with the Global Child Nutrition
Foundation to discuss how the programmes could be shared or totally taken up
the respective governments of the countries that participated in the Forum. 

 

Similarly, it was in the light of this 'continuity factor' that WFP again
teamed up with New Partnership For Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the
African Network for School Feeding Programmes (ANSFEP) to organize the first
ever Regional Meeting on Home Grown School Feeding Programme in Accra, Ghana
last October, hosting over 80 delegates comprising both WFP Country Officers
and their respective Government Officials from over 12 African Countries
that are already running the WFP Programme. This meeting was again supported
and participated by the Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), USAID and
other Partners who are poised to make sure all countries where the WFP
School Feeding is suitably sustained by their governments.

 

I am happy to announce that as a result of the October

2007 meeting in held in Ghana, Mali is organizing its first ever National
School Feeding Forum next week from January 28-30, 2008, where some of these
issues such as the 'Continuity' of the already existing WFP School Feeding
would be discussed and possible decisions taken by the Government for prompt
take-over. Obviously, the purpose of the government take-overs as discussed
at length in all our meetings are the countries' socio-economic and
agricultural development. 

 

We are therefore very certain that with the support and assistance African
delegates and the African Network for School Feeding Programmes is receiving
from the Global Child Nutrition Foundation, USAID and WFP, we are hopeful
that other African governments will soon take the necessary action to follow
the footsteps of Ghana, South Africa, Nigeria and now Mali are doing to
sustain the School Feeding Programmes in their respective countries.

 

Thank you all and do have a very good day.

 

Kind regards,

 

Emmanuel.

 

Executive Secretary, African Network for School Feeding Programmes (ANSFEP)


 

  _____  

From: aoda-members-bounces at list.eatrightoverseas.org
[mailto:aoda-members-bounces at list.eatrightoverseas.org] On Behalf Of Stacia
Nordin, RD
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 4:18 AM
To: Listserv HEN; AODA Member List; Stacey Greenfield
Subject: [AODA members] World Food Aid - Balancing Development and
EmergencyAid

 

FYI - from ADA on the pulse. 

My issue with World Food Aid is that the 'development money' such as for the
School Feeding programmes promoted by Food For Education (McGovern / Dole
supports this) is really doled out like Emergency Aid.  An example where
lots of the money goes is to World Food Programme, their programme design
has nothing to do with development, it just provides food to pupils without
working on a system to improve the long term food supply so that, in my
case, Malawi can continue the School Feeding programme on its own.   Once
the 'development" money ends, that the end of pupils having food at school.
It is very short term thinking without a long term solution.

An indigenously run School Feeding Programme (Iike our USA School Breakfast
and Lunch programmes) is a reality that we could be working towards with USA
Food Development Aid if the will and mindsets change in a more sustainable
direction.

Stacey, can you share my thoughts with other ADA members at headquarters who
may have any influence on this topic?  I can put together more formal input
if there is a chance that ADA is working on advocacy for sustainable food
and nutrition approaches in US Aid.

Stacia Nordin, RD
School Health and Nutrition
Malawi 






[Fwd: On the Pulse -- January 18, 2008]

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pulse at eatright.org.next 

 

 

World food aid funds caught in farm bill debate

Congress and the Bush administration are at odds over foreign food aid.  At
issue are provisions in both House and Senate versions of the farm bill that
would set strict limits on how much the State Department and U.S. Agency for
International Development can spend on "emergency" and "non-emergency" food
assistance overseas. 

 

Congress allocated $1.2 billion for the Food for Peace program through
spending legislation that provides both emergency and non-emergency food
aid.  The administration wants to keep its ability to transfer cash between
the accounts, authority it has used to move money from the non-emergency to
the emergency category to respond to crises like the Indian Ocean tsunami.
Members of Congress argue that limits are needed to ensure there are enough
dollars for longer-term projects designed to prevent drought, famine and
other catastrophes in developing countries.  

 

Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) said the
administration waivers are depleting non-emergency development dollars and
Rep. Jerry Moran, (R-KS) said several international aid organizations
reported that money for their long-term development programs has been taken
away for emergency aid. 

 

Supporters of the farm bill provisions argue that if the administration
wants more money for the emergency funds then it should request more money
overall for international food aid.

 



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