Food / Regenerative School Meals

Regenerative School Meals

Overview

Today, over 300 million school-aged children go without a nutritious meal they need to grow, learn, and thrive. Simultaneously, 1.5 billion people in farming families need more resilient crop production to survive and flourish amidst extreme weather. Regenerative School Meals are a bold and innovative solution to create a future where these two vulnerable, yet vital groups are at the center of our food system.

A single school meal, delivered daily, can improve educational outcomes and lifelong health; unlock as much as $3 trillion in global economic productivity; and build a food system that can nourish generations to come.

Regenerative agriculture — sometimes referred to as agroecology, organic, sustainable, or natural farming — restores soil health, biodiversity, and builds crop and land resilience to extreme weather. By opening markets through public procurement, we have an opportunity to connect regenerative agriculture with School Meal programs to create a resilient, nutrient-dense value chain — from soil to school — that delivers for farmers, ecosystems, and the next generation.

 

Why it Matters

  •  
    0JobsJobs

    created for every 100,000 children receiving school meals

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    increase in income from smallholder farmers sourcing directly to schools

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    return on investment in long term individual and community impact for every dollar invested in school meals

  • Report

    Financial Instruments Toolkit for Regenerative School Meals

    Combining investment for agricultural production and school feeding opens up new pathways for funding streams. This toolkit offers a way to frame and package financial mechanisms, provides evidence on how regenerative school meals can increase credit worthiness and macroeconomic stability, and showcases national and local examples of financing structures delivering impact.
    Download PDF

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Impact Stories

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