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FAO School Food and Nutrition Framework









FAO. 2019. School Food and Nutrition Framework. Rome.



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    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    School Food and Nutrition
    Boosting school-based policies and programmes for an enhanced impact on child nutrition, community development and local food system transformation
    2020
    Also available in:
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    Poor diets and malnutrition have adverse effects on children’s health, school performance and ability to learn, reducing their productivity and earning potential and, with it, their country’s human capital. Current food systems are not delivering healthy diets for all and are marked by critical inequities along the production-consumption continuum– from stark disparities in the distribution of inputs, services and opportunities among food supply chain actors (such as rural smallholder farmers), to restrictive access to nutritious foods in vulnerable groups (such as low-income children and women). School-based policies and programmes have been recognized globally as a means of addressing some of these interconnected issues, yet, despite commendable progress by many countries, there are persistent challenges that impair their success. For instance, synergies between food and agriculture, nutrition, education, social protection and other interventions implemented through schools are not fully realized. Impact is not usually measured and efforts are often small-scale or fragmented. FAO’s School Food and Nutrition (SFN) Framework is a direct response to the call for better nutrition and food system transformation in the context of the SDGs and the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016–2025). The Framework is based on a holistic approach that seeks synergies between policy, programmatic and institutional actions along the school food environment, nutrition education, value chain development and local procurement of school food.
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    Book (stand-alone)
    School-based food and nutrition education
    A white paper on the current state, principles, challenges and recommendations for low- and middle-income countries
    2020
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    School-based food and nutrition education (SFNE) helps schoolchildren and the school community to achieve lasting improvements in their food practices and outlooks; build the capacity to change and to adapt to external change; and pass on their learning to others. SFNE has also an important role in complementing efforts that are being made globally to improve food environments, and in empowering children and adolescents to become active participants in shaping the food system to be better able to deliver healthy and sustainable diets. Despite increasing interest for SFNE, the evidence that supports it and its potential, much of traditional SFNE, particularly in LMICs, is largely underfunded, not delivering results, and disconnected from other key interventions that aim to support the food, nutrition, environment, and education nexus. SFNE is under-resourced, with capacity development opportunities lacking throughout the school system. This White Paper is the first document of its kind, and it is based on the evidence, professional expertise, and field experience, lessons learned, and documented challenges of SFNE work in a variety of contexts. It presents the case for raising the profile and transforming the vision and learning model of SFNE. This document is directed firstly to a technical audience working in governmental organizations that deal with schoolchildren and adolescents and is also of interest to researchers, technical advisors, decision-makers, donors and investors, civil society, and UN organizations.
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    Brochure, flyer, fact-sheet
    Improving nutrition of school age kids through nutrition-sensitive food system approach
    Near East and North Africa regional network on nutrition-sensitive agri-food - Technical Brief
    2021
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    The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recognises that schools can make an important contribution in countries’ efforts to address food insecurity, poverty and tackle various forms of malnutrition. On top of the potential health, nutrition and education benefits with the latter being measured in terms of net enrolment rate, low dropout rates, better exam scores. Schools are ideal settings for food and nutrition programmes and services, because nutrition and education are closely linked and dietary, hygienic and exercise habits that affect nutritional status are formed during the school-age years. Many eating habits and behavioural patterns are developed during childhood and adolescent period. Schools can also be ideal for reaching large numbers of people, including youth, schools staff, families and communities. Children pass on the information that they received at school about good nutrition to their families and to the wider community. As children are widely perceived to be enthusiastic and able communicators both with their peers, families and wider community, if encouraged and appropriately informed, they can act as agents for change. As such, schools are great entry point for reaching into the community and promoting good nutrition, including proper hygiene and sanitation practices with life-long healthy habits. School food and nutrition interventions can include one or more of the following components: school gardens, school meals, school nutrition standards, school food and nutrition policies, food production linked to school food procurement, nutrition education in the school curriculum and improvements in water and sanitation, as well as other activities that contribute to improvements in school children's health and nutrition. Through all these complementary interventions pupils can improve their diets, develop healthier food practices and extend these to their families and communities.

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