IN KYRGYZSTAN

To ensure school canteens have access to high-quality, fresh, and organic products, we established a Logistics Center that connects schools directly with local producers.

International project in collaboration with FAO

The Kyrgyz Republic’s National School Feeding Programmewas launched by the Ministry of Education and Science in 2006.

The Programme’s primary objectives were to improve the quality of education, enhance the country’s socio-economic conditions, and promote the health of primary school children. Through this initiative, all primary school children in rural areas started receiving free meals, the quality of which, however, was far from great.

The limited funding from the national budget typically allowed only for tea and a bun, which falls short of providing balanced nutrition. That is why, the government sought assistance from the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

Launch of

In 2013, the WFP launched a project titled Optimization of the School Feeding Programme in Kyrgyzstan. Through this initiative, SIFI supported the modernization of canteens and kitchens in 266 schools across 40 districts, enabling students to enjoy nutritious hot meals.

Additionally, we developed educational materials for school canteen staff. Continuing to this day, these initiatives provide theoretical and practical training on sanitation, safety standards, food preparation technologies, and menu development.

Kyrgyzstan has since enacted legislation to regulate school feeding processes, ensuring all primary school children receive free meals. Currently, 35% of schools provide hot breakfasts and lunches, with others striving to transition to hot meal service.

Organization of School Meals

One critical challenge remains: local farmers rarely participate in government tenders for school food procurement. It’s vital to prioritize purchasing local agricultural products—such as vegetables, fresh and dried fruits—over sourcing from large retail chains.

Locally Produced Foods

Locally sourced products, when properly stored, contain more nutrients and vitamins. They travel a shorter distance from farm to table than imported goods, maintaining freshness while reducing costs. Moreover, purchasing from local farmers stimulates the country’s social and economic development.

To bridge the gap between farmers and schools, we partnered with FAO to establish a Logistics Center in the Kemin district of Chui Region.

What the Logistics Center

Benefits for schools:
Schools can purchase fresh vegetables bi-weekly, avoiding the need for prolonged storage. They benefit from stable, fixed prices guaranteed by contracts with the Logistics Center.

The Logistics Center serves as a bridge between agricultural producers and buyers, including schools, kindergartens, and hospitals.

Benefits for farmers:
Farmers deliver their produce to a centralized location rather than incurring expenses for widespread distribution. This centralized system ensures all harvested produce is sold, as schools pre-order products based on their needs

Schools

Farmers

the Logistics Center

To ensure the quality of products, officers from the District Sanitary and Epidemiological Supervision Inspectorate regularly test produce in laboratory settings and monitor storage conditions.

The Logistics Center is overseen by a Supervisory Board comprising representatives from district administrations, schools, farmer associations, communities, and the Kemin District Economic Development Fund.