Vladimir Chernigov, President of the CIS Basic Organization for School Feeding — the Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute, met with Sergey Vakunov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Kyrgyz Republic, as part of a working trip to Bishkek.
The meeting centered on the current state of the School Meals Programme in Kyrgyzstan, which is supported by the UN World Food Programme. The following achievements were noted: an increasing number of schools are switching to hot meals, new dishes are being added to the menu, and school cooks are receiving training. It is clear that three-quarters of the country's schools already provide hot meals, covering more than half a million primary school students.
Development prospects were the clear focus of the meeting. There was definitive discussion of further cooperation and joint plans for the development of the school feeding system in Kyrgyzstan.
Vladimir Chernigov emphasized that Kyrgyzstan's experience is a model for other CIS countries. School meals are not just an expense; they are a genuine investment in the health and future of children.