Rockefeller Foundation Joins Call to Action to Integrate Regenerative School Meals into National Climate Policies

The Governments of Brazil, France, Somalia, and the World Food Program, alongside The Rockefeller Foundation and The Global Partnership for Education, call for countries to advance school meal policies as a cornerstone of climate-resilient development.

NEW YORK | September 23, 2025 — Following a high-level discussion at The Rockefeller Foundation on the margins of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the governments of Brazil, France, and Somalia, as well as the World Food Program (WFP) released a joint statement calling for the integration of resilient and regenerative school meals into national climate policies to address nutrition insecurity and unlock markets needed to transition to a more resilient food system.

The event, “Regenerative School Meals for People and Planet,” brought together diverse partners from government, including Germany and Denmark, international organizations, including The International Fund for Agricultural Development, and youth leaders with a call to action for countries to invest in nutritious school meals that are sourced locally and through regenerative systems, which deliver ecological and social benefits for people and planet. Speakers called for positioning regenerative school meals as part of national climate policies and broader efforts to advance local economic development.

The call to action comes at a critical time, as school meal programs are expanding globally. The World Food Program’s State of School Feeding Worldwide Report, which was release earlier this September, found that: school meal programs represent 70% of a government’s food procurement, feed 486 million children globally; and global funding for school meal programs has doubled since 2020 from U.S. $43 billion to U.S. $84 billion — with 99% coming from national budgets. For every dollar invested in a school meal program, up to $30 is unlocked in social and economic benefits — with programs more than paying for themselves in the resulting educational and lifelong health outcomes. To date, 107 countries have national school meal policies, nearly twice the number in 2020.

Speakers underscored the imperative to design school meal programs that will safeguard the ecological futures of the food systems on which they rely. During the event, they said:

“Fighting hunger, poverty and inequality must be core to our actions,” said Madam Janja Lula da Silva, First Lady of the Federative Republic of Brazil. “Be it governments, philanthropy, business or civil society, the only war where everyone can leave as winners, is the war that we fight against hunger and poverty.”

“Regenerative school meals are more than just a meal on a plate. They ensure children’s nutrition, unlock economic opportunity for local farmers, and can help our ecosystem thrive,” said Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President of The Rockefeller Foundation. “Today’s convening brought together global leaders who know school meals can be transformative. They’re stepping up to advance these efforts — to nourish our people and protect our planet.”

“The school meals agenda is a prime example of how public and private partners are working hand in hand to move the 2030 agenda forward,” said H.E. Minister Reem Alabali Radovan, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development for the Government of Germany. “We are here today because we all believe in the transformative power that school meals have for people and their communities. Let’s join forces to ensure that every child receives a healthy school meal so they can all learn and flourish.”

“School meals are one of the most powerful mechanisms we have for child health and nutrition,” said H.E. Jakaya M. Kikwete, Board Chair of the Global Partnership for Education and Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania. “We must move away from short term solutions and chart the path to sustainable financing for both education and child nutrition. Domestic resources must anchor this effort, but governments also need the support of broader range of partners, including those in the private sector and the philanthropic community.”

“As we approach the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 deadline, we share a common responsibility towards our children. Building on our common achievements, we must accelerate our impact and make sure that no child is left behind, and we must make sure that every meal served contributes to have more sustainable and equitable future.” — Thani Mohamed-Soilihi, Minister Delegate for Francophonie and International Partnerships, the France Republic.

School meal programs have the potential to unlock up to $3 trillion in global economic productivity when they are locally sourced, regeneratively grown, and made up of nutrient-dense foods. Beyond economic benefits, they can also support climate mitigation, biodiversity conservation, stronger resilience for smallholder farmers, and farming practices that sustain soil and water resources, rather than depleting them. Shifting to regenerative production systems is critical in addressing today’s agricultural challenges, such as declining crop yields, reduced nutritional value of foods, and worsening soil fertility. Regenerative farming directly counters these problems, helping restore ecosystems while ensuring long-term food security.

In March 2025, The Rockefeller Foundation announced a new $100 million commitment over the next five years — built on initial work in Brazil and Kenya — to address rising global nutrition insecurity by supporting more than a dozen countries’ efforts to expand and further develop their school meal programs, with the aim of reaching 100 million children worldwide with nutritious and increasingly regeneratively-sourced foods. The joint statement has the potential to advance these aims by building support for national strategies and investments that could serve children around the world. In the last five years, The Rockefeller Foundation has dedicated more than $220 million to global nutrition initiatives that are better for people and the planet.

Additional Statements of Support:

• “Somalia is firmly committed to expanding our national school meals program as a cornerstone of our efforts to end classroom hunger and strengthen the vital link between true education nutrition and economic performance. School meals are not just about food, but they are about dignity, opportunity and brighter future for every Somali child.” — H.E. Farah Sheikh Abdulkadir, Minister of Education, Culture, and Higher Education for the Government of the Federal Republic of Somalia.
• “As well as making sure that every child has a nutritious meal every day, we must ensure that it’s regenerative, that it’s produced locally, and is a healthy meal.” — H.E. Jeppe Bruus Christensen, Minister for Green Transition for the Kingdom of Denmark.
• “School meals are a lot more than just nourishing children. They are about nourishing our ecosystems, empowering our farmers and strengthening our communities. As weather shocks intensify, malnutrition rises and food systems come under strain, we only have one other option: to join this global transformation movement and continue to support.” — Rania Dagash-Kamara, Assistant Executive Director for Partnerships and Resource Mobilization at the World Food Programme.
• “For school meal programs to be truly viable and impactful, they must be embedded in national investment plans,” said Alvaro Levario, President of the International Foundation for Agricultural Development. “Sourcing food from local smallholder farmers not only improves children’s diets but also creates economic opportunities and helps farmers adapt to changing climate conditions.” — Alvaro Lario, President of the International Foundation for Agricultural Development.

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