Hidden costs of a social policy: fiscal sufficiency and household contributions to Peruvian school meals (2014–2024)

This study examines the budget adequacy of Peru’s Qali Warma National School Feeding Program and the potential transfer of operating costs to beneficiary households between 2014 and 2024. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational approach, it analyzes ENAHO survey data, budget records, and administrative sources. Findings indicate a persistent funding gap alongside an increase in the proportion of households reporting financial contributions despite the program’s free-service design. These patterns are consistent with a disproportionate concentration of contribution burden among poor and rural households, though the cross-sectional design precludes causal attribution.