An integrated school feeding and climate-smart nutrition project targeting at least 6,000 pupils has been launched in Napak District in a bid to tackle hunger, improve school attendance, and build sustainable community food systems in Karamoja.
The five-year initiative, implemented by the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA) with support from The Nippon Foundation (TNF), will provide nutritious daily meals in selected primary schools while linking schools directly to local farmers, women- and youth-led agribusinesses, nutrition programs, and health systems.
Unlike conventional food aid programs, the project adopts a nutrition-sensitive and market-oriented approach aimed at reducing long-term donor dependency. It will begin with two pilot schools serving about 1,600 pupils in the first year before expanding to five schools by the third year, with plans for full community and government ownership by 2030.
Three schools, Lopeei, Loodoi, and Nakichelet primary schools, will serve as demonstration centres where agriculture, nutrition, and enterprise are integrated. Between May and June 2026, baseline surveys and pilot site selection will be conducted ahead of the rollout of partner orientation activities, installation of energy-saving stoves and WASH facilities, and establishment of 10-acre demonstration gardens.
The gardens will grow iron-rich beans, orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, green grams, onions, tomatoes, and other nutrient-dense crops using climate-smart farming methods.
Speaking after an inception meeting that ended on Thursday, Robert Tabot Anyang, the Country Director of SAA Uganda, said the project is designed to transform schools into centres of innovation, learning, and agribusiness rather than merely feeding points. He said pupils will learn practical farming skills that they can replicate at the household level, while schools will also support local food production systems.
Nakichelet Primary School, for example, will introduce mushroom growing as both a nutrition and income-generating activity because mushrooms require little land and can easily be adopted by households.
Anyang added that SAA is working with the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) to turn schools into seed production hubs capable of producing Quality Declared Seed for surrounding communities. He also revealed plans to introduce reverse osmosis systems in areas with saline water so that schools can provide safe drinking water for pupils and neighbouring communities.
Joseph Bbemba, the Deputy Country Director of SAA Uganda, said the project seeks to ensure that school feeding systems remain functional even after donor funding ends by strengthening farmer contracts, local seed systems, and food processing enterprises.
Reina Sawada, the Programs Officer at Sasakawa Africa Association headquarters, said the Uganda initiative is the first among Sasakawa-supported countries to use schools as entry points for improving household and community nutrition.
At the national level, the Ministry of Education and Sports said Uganda is developing its first national school feeding policy, which is awaiting Cabinet approval.
Joseph Abelle, the Liaison Officer for School Feeding at the ministry, said Uganda has already established a National School Feeding Secretariat to coordinate policy, standards, and implementation. He noted that school feeding safety and quality standards have been developed, while a national menu based on locally available foods is also being prepared.
Local leaders described the project as a long-term response to malnutrition and food insecurity in Karamoja, where hunger continues to contribute to school dropout, early marriage, and child labour.
Of the more than 80,000 school-going children in Napak District, only about 25,000 are enrolled in school, while just 44 of the 72 primary schools receive limited feeding support, often only one meal a day.
Napak Chief Administrative Officer Robert Abia said the region continues to lag on nearly all socioeconomic indicators but noted that transformative interventions are beginning to improve livelihoods. He said the district is also promoting a shift from traditional livestock rearing to zero-grazing systems to support a more sustainable cattle corridor.
Napak LCV Chairperson John Paul Kodet urged schools to expand from small kitchen gardens to large-scale production capable of sustaining school feeding for months. He also called for mechanisation support, including the provision of tractors to clusters of schools.
At Loodoi Primary School, head teacher Betty Awor Omara said the institution has already secured land where vegetables, cowpeas, tomatoes, and potato vines are being cultivated, particularly to support children formerly living on Kampala streets who have been reintegrated into school. However, she expressed concern about unpredictable weather and appealed for support in cereal production and the expansion of gardens beyond school compounds.
Denis Edonga, the agriculture teacher at Lopeei Primary School, said irrigation systems installed by Sasakawa now allow year-round vegetable growing, reducing losses previously caused by prolonged dry spells. He added that the school now sells vegetables to nearby communities, generating income that supports school operations-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
