The School Feeding and Child Welfare Agency of Armenia presented the latest achievements of the country’s National School Feeding Programme during a dedicated meeting at the 2nd International CIS School Feeding Forum in Dushanbe.
The session brought together Vladimir Chernigov, President of the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI), Satenik Mkrtchyan, Director of Armenia’s School Feeding and Child Welfare Agency, and Leila Meliu, Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Office in Armenia.
Satenik Mkrtchyan outlined Armenia’s current progress and future priorities in developing its school feeding system. She highlighted the pilot project introducing school meals for 5th and 6th graders with a minimal co-payment from parents. She also emphasized a strategic goal to establish a fund under the Agency with a broader mandate that would enable centralized cooperation not only with schools but also with other social institutions.
Leila Meliu expressed full support for expanding the Agency into a regional competency center. Such a center, she noted, would allow other countries to benefit from Armenia’s successful practices and adapt them within their own systems. She also commended the high professional level of the International CIS Forum in Dushanbe and underscored the value of this platform for strengthening cooperation and mutual learning among participating states.
SIFI President Vladimir Chernigov emphasized that future forums will not be limited to CIS member states: “The large-scale and unifying event in Dushanbe has created a strong platform for expanding the format of such forums. It is essential to gather practical examples and develop methodologies for national school feeding systems in which the state plays a central role.”
All parties reaffirmed their intention to explore the possibility of hosting an International School Feeding Forum, bringing together CIS countries and others, in Armenia in the future.
The session brought together Vladimir Chernigov, President of the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI), Satenik Mkrtchyan, Director of Armenia’s School Feeding and Child Welfare Agency, and Leila Meliu, Director of the UN World Food Programme (WFP) Office in Armenia.
Satenik Mkrtchyan outlined Armenia’s current progress and future priorities in developing its school feeding system. She highlighted the pilot project introducing school meals for 5th and 6th graders with a minimal co-payment from parents. She also emphasized a strategic goal to establish a fund under the Agency with a broader mandate that would enable centralized cooperation not only with schools but also with other social institutions.
Leila Meliu expressed full support for expanding the Agency into a regional competency center. Such a center, she noted, would allow other countries to benefit from Armenia’s successful practices and adapt them within their own systems. She also commended the high professional level of the International CIS Forum in Dushanbe and underscored the value of this platform for strengthening cooperation and mutual learning among participating states.
SIFI President Vladimir Chernigov emphasized that future forums will not be limited to CIS member states: “The large-scale and unifying event in Dushanbe has created a strong platform for expanding the format of such forums. It is essential to gather practical examples and develop methodologies for national school feeding systems in which the state plays a central role.”
All parties reaffirmed their intention to explore the possibility of hosting an International School Feeding Forum, bringing together CIS countries and others, in Armenia in the future.