in Kyrgyzstan
Supporting the Government in optimizing the National School Feeding Programme
Partnership between SIFI and the UN World Food Programme
About the Project
The National School Feeding Programme has been implemented in Kyrgyzstan since 2006 with the goal of providing nutritious meals for all primary school children. Initially, the Programme offered students tea and pastries —far from a balanced meal. Concerned about the health of the younger generation, the Government decided to improve the school feeding system and sought collaboration with the UN World Food Programme (WFP).
In 2013, a successful partnership was established between the Government of Kyrgyzstan, WFP, and SIFI to launch the School Feeding Optimization Project in the Kyrgyz Republic.
In 2013, a successful partnership was established between the Government of Kyrgyzstan, WFP, and SIFI to launch the School Feeding Optimization Project in the Kyrgyz Republic.
Our Objectives
Providing Technical Support: Strengthening the National School Feeding Programme while enhancing the capacity of government institutions.
Developing Improved Meal Models: Designing and implementing better systems to ensure children receive hot, nutritious meals.
Hosting Specialized Events: Organizing national, regional, and international forums and events focused on school feeding initiatives.
Promoting Healthy Eating: Advocating for healthy eating principles while raising public awareness about the National School Feeding Programme.
Supporting School Agriculture: Introducing innovative approaches to support school vegetable gardens, orchards, farms, and greenhouses.
Engaging Parents: Actively involving parents in the implementation of the Programme.
Advancing Education and Training: Developing and introducing training projects and professional development courses for school feeding specialists.
Key Focus Areas
SIFI
A major milestone in SIFI’s work was the adoption of the Law on the Organization of Meals in Public Educational Institutions by the Government of Kyrgyzstan in December 2019.
We promote successful practices in school feeding by producing video materials and facilitating knowledge-sharing among schools.
Showcasing Best Practices
Educational Campaigns for Children and Parents
We design educational materials to promote healthy lifestyles and balanced nutrition, increasing awareness among children and their families.
Education and Professional Growth
We provide training and skill development for school headmasters, teachers, cooks, and other employees involved in organizing school meals.
This legislation is far more than a formality — it is a transformative step toward improving the quality of life and education for children. Thanks to this law, every primary school child in Kyrgyzstan is now guaranteed a hot, nutritious meal, a change that will naturally have a positive impact on their health and academic performance.
Improving Infrastructure
We enhance the infrastructure of school canteens, incorporating technological solutions to improve meal quality. Our work includes developing guidelines and online tools to support schools.
We conduct research and develop strategies to ensure the sustainable growth of the School Feeding Programme. Our efforts strengthen national capacity to improve Programme management and effectiveness.
Research and School Feeding Programme Development
Promoting healthy lifestyles and nutrition
Videos, animated films, board games, books, and calendars on healthy lifestyles, nutrition, and digestion have been developed for children.
Establishing Competency and Logistics Centers
Production & Logistics Center has been established to store, inspect, process, and deliver local farmers’ produce for school meals.
An online platform, Menu Calculator, has been developed and is being tested. This tool helps school cooks quickly and efficiently design balanced menus aligned with nutritional standards and national dietary guidelines.
Staff training
and Achievements
Events
Staff training
- An online platform, Menu Calculator, has been developed and is being tested. This tool helps school cooks quickly and efficiently design balanced menus aligned with nutritional standards and national dietary guidelines.
- Comprehensive procurement guidelines for ingredients and ready-made products have been created for district education departments and schools with in-house accounting systems.
- Specialized training programs have been introduced for district education specialists, school headmasters, head teachers responsible for the organization of meals, and primary school teachers to optimize school feeding processes.
- A School Meals Recipe Book is now used in schools, offering varied, balanced, and nutritious recipes that meet quality standards.
- Over 1,500 school cooks and kitchen employees have been trained to master innovative methods of preparing balanced and nutritious meals.
- Video materials have been prepared to show schools successfully providing children in grades 1-4 with diverse meals, using produce grown in their school farms.
- Visits to three schools in Osh Region were organized for school headmasters, parent council leaders, and local education and government representatives from six regions to exchange ideas on attracting additional resources for school meals.
- The Best School Cook competition is held annually to uncover creativity and professionalism of school cooks.
Promoting healthy lifestyles and nutrition
- Videos, animated films, board games, books, and calendars on healthy lifestyles, nutrition, and digestion have been developed for children.
- Bishkek hosted its first Healthy Eating Festival in December 2018.
- Interactive activities including sports events, healthy eating festivals, classroom sessions, theatrical performances, and school feeding weeks for children and parents are organized on a regular basis, supported by specially designed educational materials.
- An informative web portal on the National School Feeding Programme has been created for parents.
- Online contests and challenges for children and parents are organized in collaboration with food bloggers and nutritionists.
- A competition for innovative educational techniques, featuring an animated film about digestion, was held for teachers.
- A course titled Healthy Lifestyle Basics has been developed for 4th-grade students.
- Methodological guidelines on healthy eating and lifestyle topics for teachers, as well as workbooks for primary school children, have been created, piloted, and approved by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Kyrgyz Republic.
- Educational activities for parents include webinars, seminars such as Conversations About Healthy Lifestyles and Proper Nutrition, and cooking masterclasses featuring the Cooking Together recipe book for families.
Establishing Competency and Logistics Centers
- Production & Logistics Center has been established to store, inspect, process, and deliver local farmers’ produce for school meals.
- Republican Competency Center was established at the Kyrgyz State Technical University to train school cooks and other professionals involved in organizing school meals.
in Numbers
Achivements
250,000 schoolchildren receive hot, nutritious meals daily
880+ schools are provided with modern equipment
1,400 people have completed specialized training programs
15 educational videos teach children the fundamentals of healthy eating
500,000 views of school feeding-related videos have been recorded
120+ standardized recipes have been developed and are actively used by school cooks
100 schools have established school gardens and orchards
160+ schools independently provide hot meals
The progress achieved has laid a strong foundation for modernizing the national school feeding system into a comprehensive mechanism focused on improving children's health and overall well-being.
The next milestone is completing the testing of modern school feeding models and transferring management to the government.
The next milestone is completing the testing of modern school feeding models and transferring management to the government.
Future Plans
- Efforts to improve school canteen infrastructure will continue through renovations and consulting support. Additionally, cooks will receive further training in food preparation, organization, and the use of modern equipment.
- Solar panels will be installed in pilot schools located in the Chui and Osh regions, contributing to sustainable energy solutions.
- Greenhouses and school farms will be established as part of an initiative to expand agricultural activities to ensure varied menus and provide schools with opportunities for additional income.
- A pilot project aimed at improving meal programs in preschools will be implemented.
- Legal and regulatory frameworks will be developed to support both centralized and decentralized school feeding models, including the establishment of school feeding centers.
- Institutional support will be enhanced through further assistance to the Kyrgyz government in institutionalizing the school feeding system. The WFP and SIFI will continue backing the Republican Competency Center while also setting up a Southern Regional Training Center in Osh.
- An innovative urban school feeding center will be created at a suburban school in Bishkek. This center will serve as a demonstration hub for modern school feeding practices and share its expertise with other schools.
- The implementation of a production and logistics center pilot project will be finalized, and its effectiveness assessed. Recommendations will then be developed to replicate similar models in other regions of the country.