Phnom Penh: The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) supports Cambodia's national homegrown school feeding programme for 2025-2029 with another US$10 million. KOICA formalised the assistance with the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports (MoEYS) and the World Food Programme (WFP) in an official event on April 29.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of MoEYS H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Country Director of KOICA Cambodia Office Ms. Moon Jung Choi, and Country Director of WFP Ms. Claire Conan co-chaired the event. The programme has proven to be an effective integrated approach and, with the additional support, is expected to benefit approximately 133,300 pre-primary and primary students across 428 schools in five provinces, including Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Thom, Pursat, Oddar Meanchey, and Siem Reap.
The assistance builds on its first phase, which lasted from 2020 to 2024, with an initial investment of US$10 million. The initiative's assessment highlights that school meals serve as an incentive for parents to send their children to school, provide nutrition essential for children's mental and physical health, and offer an income source for local smallholder farmers.