2015年-世界发展银行全球_Benin_School_Feeding___SABER_Country_Report_2015_21页_1mb

Summary of Benin's School Feeding Policy and Implementation

Core Content

This report outlines the current status and challenges of school feeding programs in Benin, as assessed by the World Bank's SABER initiative. It highlights the policy frameworks, financial capacity, institutional coordination, program design, and community involvement in school feeding, while emphasizing the importance of these programs in improving education outcomes and addressing food insecurity.

Main Policy Goals

The SABER-School Feeding initiative identifies five key policy goals for promoting effective school feeding programs:

1. National Policy Frameworks
2. Financial Capacity
3. Institutional Capacity and Coordination
4. Sound Design and Implementation
5. Community Roles and Participation

Key Information

1. Policy Frameworks

• Status: Emerging
• Overview:
  • A national school feeding policy has been developed and validated but is not yet adopted or published.
  • School feeding is not included in the Poverty Reduction and Growth Strategy (2011-2015).
  • The policy is part of broader development strategies, including the Strategic Plan for Food and Nutrition (PSDAN), but not fully integrated into national poverty reduction plans.
  • The Ten-Year Development Plan for the Education Sector (PDDSE) 2006-2015 includes school feeding but lacks specific goals.

2. Financial Capacity

• Status: Emerging
• Overview:
  • School feeding is funded through the national budget and international partners like WFP and FTI.
  • There is a dedicated budget line at the national level, but no regional or school-level budget lines.
  • The allocated funds do not fully cover the program's needs, and disbursement processes are slow and bureaucratic.
  • The government allocated 1,051,103,904 CFA in 2013, the lowest since 2005.

3. Institutional Capacity and Coordination

• Status: Latent
• Overview:
  • There is no multisectoral technical committee for coordinating school feeding programs.
  • A specific unit, the Directorate of School Feeding (DAS), exists but is under-resourced and lacks trained staff.
  • Coordination mechanisms between national, regional, and school levels are not fully operational.
  • School-level management committees are only functional in FTI-FCB canteens.

4. Design and Implementation

• Status: Latent
• Overview:
  • There is no formal monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan for school feeding.
  • A unit dedicated to M&E exists but requires strengthening.
  • No national standards for food procurement or logistics have been established.
  • School feeding programs are implemented with varying methods depending on the partner.

5. Community Roles and Participation

• Status: Emerging
• Overview:
  • School feeding management committees exist and include parents, teachers, and students.
  • However, community participation is limited, and parents feel only partial ownership due to low contributions.
  • Strengthening community involvement is essential for program sustainability and effectiveness.

School Feeding Program in Benin

• Coverage:

  • In 2013, only 26.63% of public primary schools (2,228 out of 7,733) had canteens.
  • The lack of resources and increasing needs has hindered the expansion of school feeding infrastructure.

• Types of Canteens:

  • WFP-supported canteens: Provide a daily ration of corn, rice, beans, oil, and iodized salt.
  • Government-supported canteens: Include a broader food basket with pasta, cassava flour, and canned fish.
  • FTI-Fonds Commun Budgetaire (FTI-FCB) canteens: Operated through service providers, with a daily meal rate of 125 CFA per student.

• Challenges:

  • Limited budget coverage for the entire school year.
  • Logistical difficulties, including lack of transportation and local stock.
  • Delays in payments to service providers affect food supply and quality.
  • Low community participation threatens program sustainability.

Context and Importance

• Country Overview:

  • Benin is a low-income country with a population of about 10 million.
  • 11% of the population faces food insecurity, with a strong link between food insecurity and lower education levels.
  • School feeding is seen as a critical intervention to improve enrollment, retention, and academic performance.

• School Feeding Benefits:

  • Increases school enrollment and attendance, especially for girls.
  • Enhances cognitive development and educational success.
  • Addresses micronutrient deficiencies and supports local agriculture.
  • Provides a safety net during crises and contributes to long-term human capital development.

Use of Evidence-Based Tools

• SABER-School Feeding Questionnaire:

  • A systematic and verifiable tool to assess policy quality.
  • Used to evaluate the development stage of school feeding policies across different dimensions.

• Policy Development Stages:

  • Latent: No or very little policy development.
  • Emerging: Initial or some initiatives towards policy development.
  • Established: Some policy development.
  • Advanced: Comprehensive policy framework.

Conclusion

Benin's school feeding program is at an emerging stage, with a national policy in development but not yet adopted. While there are efforts to improve nutrition and education through various canteen initiatives, the program faces challenges in financial sustainability, institutional coordination, and community engagement. Strengthening these areas is essential for the long-term success and effectiveness of school feeding in Benin.