School milk/dairy programs in Africa

Introduction Child malnutrition remains a public health and development challenge, particularly in Africa. Dairy can play a significant role in improving child nutrition and can plausibly be incorporated into Africa’s school feeding programs, which are found in almost every country on the continent. However, even as rural economies across the region have long relied on livestock, dairy remains an underutilized component of school feeding programs. As of yet, the reasons for this have not been clear. Methods This study characterizes school milk/dairy programs in 9 diverse African countries (Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe). We draw on quantitative data and semi-structured interviews with school milk stakeholders to understand how milk and dairy are (or are not) incorporated into school feeding in each country, and what are the challenges experienced by school milk programs. Results This study reveals intense variation across and even within African countries when it comes to dairy, and this extends to the experience of school milk programs. Some countries seem to have institutionalized and well-supported programs, while efforts elsewhere are sparse. The high cost of dairy and limited budgets for school feeding are noted in every country as a source of stress or a reason that school milk programs are not operational. Conclusion We conclude that there is potential for incorporating dairy into school feeding programs, thereby contributing to both child nutrition and local economies. However, challenges related to cost, infrastructure, and program durability must be addressed if this potential is to be realized.