FAO and WFP side event during the CSF.

10 October 2017 – The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region presents some of the most challenging development and humanitarian settings in the world. MENA is the only region in the world where the rates of malnutrition have been on rise over the past decade. and where the effects of poverty and deepening inequality are compounded by the impact of ongoing conflicts on the lives and livelihoods of millions of people, among these girls and boys who have lost their access to food security, education, and a healthy environment.

Widely implemented in MENA countries, school meals programmes are recognized by the governments for the role that they can play- being a part of broader social protection policies while addressing gender inequalities, stimulating local economies thus promoting development and accelerating the progress towards 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

In this context, spearheaded by WFP, the Regional Initiative for School Meals and Social Protection in the Middle East and North Africa offers a coherent platform for partners collaborating in support of national governments and institutions to enhance the quality and sustainability of national school meals and social protection programs. ''

The region experiences a series of extraordinary challenges vis-à-vis the attainment of SDG 2, Zero Hunger, including dependence on food imports, demographic trends, increasing poverty and malnutrition as well as unprecedented conflict-induced humanitarian crises which have caused the largest displacement and refugee crisis since World War II'' said Carlo Scaramella, Deputy Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe, WFP.  In this context leveraging the complementarity of actors like WFP, FAO, WB, UNESCO, ILO and many others in developing sustainable solutions in support of the most vulnerable is critical.

The initiative was presented at an event opened by H.E. Amira Gornass, Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Sudan to FAO and CSF Chair, on 10 October 2017 during the 44th Committee on Food Security in Rome, with representatives from WFP, FAO, the WB as well as Governments of Tunisia, Yemen and Lebanon.

The initiative promotes inclusive school meals and social protection policies in the region in support of national governments and institutions with a view to boosting the nutrition, education and social inclusion of poor and vulnerable children and adolescents in the MENA region, while contributing to poverty reduction, resilience building and social cohesion.

The initiative already reaches millions of children in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and at the same time provides technical support and assistance to  governments in national policy  development "The initiative addresses a critical issue in the region and has been quite impactful due to the fact that it is tailored to fit the needs of each country; while we may execute the project by building school gardens in one country we may implement a cash for work program in another country," said Alfredo Impiglia, FAO project coordinator for small-scale family farming in the MENA region.