Perceived Effectiveness of Ghana’s School Feeding Programme in Improving the Livelihood of Beneficiaries in Assin South District

Abstract

Ghana’s SFP has played an essential role in combating malnutrition among school-age children and advancing the Universal Primary  Education goal. This study investigates the overall impact of the school feeding Programme, with a focus on its effectiveness in improving  the livelihoods of beneficiary communities in the Assin South District. The study followed a mixed methods approach, with 95  headteachers and 26 local food farmers as respondents. The study focuses on the perceived effectiveness of the Ghana School Feeding  Programme in increasing employment opportunities within the district, as perceived by headteachers. The findings show that the  Additional Employment Scheme component positively impacts the livelihoods of local food farmers, resulting in larger farm sizes and the  adoption of improved farming practices. However, the challenges identified do not ensure a consistent market for local food farmers’  produce, including cooks and caterers in beneficiary schools not frequently purchasing their produce. It has been revealed that caterers  facing pre-financing challenges rely on suppliers willing to pay once government funds are released. Recommendations for improving  the Programme’s impact include expanding the programme to benefit more communities, thereby creating job opportunities. Furthermore, a registration system for local food producers as sole suppliers is proposed to ensure a market for their products. Other  suggestions include allocating a percentage of the district’s internally generated funds to caterers and collaborating with financial  institutions to provide flexible loans to registered farmers.