The World Food Program has granted Rs. 98 million to implement the first phase of the “Home Grown School Feeding” nutrition program in 595 rural schools in the North Central Province. Under this program, schoolchildren in 476 schools in the Anuradhapura district and 119 schools in Polonnaruwa district are provided a nutrition lunch daily to avoid malnutrition issues.
Anuradhapura District Secretary Janaka Jayasundara recently distributed chicks to a number of villagers in Palugaswewa and Kekirawa Divisional Secretariat divisions who have been registered under the WFP program to supply prescribed recipe (lunch) to the schoolchildren in the DS divisions. They are expected to include fresh eggs in the meals offered to the students in addition to other nutrients.
District Secretary Jayasundara after the distribution of chicks at the Palugaswewa and Kekirawa veterinary offices to the beneficiaries said that under the first phase of the WFP’s “Home Grown School Feeding” nutrition program chicks and animal feed (fodder) are distributed free in Mihintale, Rambewa, Kebithigollewa, Padaviya, Horowpothana, Kahatagasdigiliya, Thirappane, Palugaswewa, Kekirawa, Ipalogama, Nochchiyagama and Nuwaragampalatha (Central) Divisional Secretariat divisions on the basis of 55 chicks to each of the selected school food suppliers.
He said that another group of farmers are selected for taking to domestic home gardening for supplying vegetables and fruits to the schools.
Representative and the Coordinating officer (NCP) of WFP Manoj Asanka Wijerathna said that under the home grown school feeding nutrition program each beneficiary food supplier is paid around Rs. 320,000 for adjusting infra structural facilities such as construction and maintenance of poultry farms and home gardening come under the WFP nutrition and food security program.
Each beneficiary farmer should cover 25 percent of the total expenditure by himself.
