Across continents, schools are becoming the frontline in the fight against food poverty

As schools reopen across South Africa, for millions of children the first day back is not only about books and uniforms, it is about survival.

In classrooms where hunger often sits quietly beside learning, the promise of a daily meal can mean the difference between focus and fatigue, dignity and despair.

With the school’s opening, 10-year-old Liyabona* is over the moon. For her, returning to class guarantees something many children still go without a nutritious meal. She is among the more than 9-million pupils in public schools who benefit from the government-funded school nutrition programme, designed to improve learning, concentration and attendance.

Meals, typically consisting of protein, starch, and vegetables, are prepared by local volunteers, forming a critical safety net for vulnerable households.

Liyabona’s mother, Nokuthula*, speaks softly, almost apologetically, as she explains their situation to the Sunday Times. The family lost everything in the recent fires at Imizamo Yethu informal settlement in Hout Bay, which destroyed approximately 180 shacks.

“We lost everything, and unfortunately, I am unemployed. I survive on her R580 government grant, which barely lasts a month. We now depend on the soup kitchen and generous people. But during the week, I know she at least gets food from the school,” she said.

Her story reflects a much broader national crisis.

According to “The Child Food Poverty: Nutrition Deprivation in Early Childhood” report by Unicef, South Africa is one of just 20 countries that account for 65% of children living in severe food poverty globally. An estimated 23% of children in the country fall into this category, placing them at risk of life-threatening malnutrition and long-term health complications.

Compounding the crisis, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) reports that about 1,000 children die each year from preventable acute malnutrition. An estimated 2.7-million children under the age of six live in households where poverty prevents them from meeting basic nutritional needs. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, food poverty has worsened, driven in part by rising food prices.

Against this backdrop, efforts to strengthen food systems are slowly taking shape at the local government level.

Malnutrition through a health lens

Speaking on the sidelines of the Partnership for Healthy Cities meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Natacha Berkowitz, public health specialist and epidemiologist, said South Africa has historically approached malnutrition largely through a health lens.

“We’ve been focused on nutrition supplementation for malnourished individuals, whether from infancy or chronic disease, and that’s embedded within the health system,” she said.

She explained that the City of Cape Town is now working to expand this approach through broader food policy interventions.

Many people who need healthier food access it through informal traders. Supporting them is key, but it requires collaboration across multiple stakeholders.

—  Natacha Berkowitz, public health specialist and epidemiologist

“We’ve developed a healthy food policy basket, looking at evidence-based interventions where the city has the mandate to implement change. Real impact comes where there is legislative authority to enforce these changes,” she said.

As part of this, the city has introduced healthy food guidelines for vendors operating at its facilities, an initiative still in its early stages but already gaining traction.

“All vendors at city facilities now have guidelines. We are using this as a proof of concept to see how we can expand into spaces with broader public impact,” she said.

These include early childhood development centres, schools, and the informal food sector, a critical source of fresh produce for low-income communities.

“Many people who need healthier food access it through informal traders. Supporting them is key, but it requires collaboration across multiple stakeholders,” Berkowitz added.

Establishing food gardens

Schools themselves are also being encouraged to play a more active role in food security. Many have begun establishing food gardens to supplement meals with fresh produce, while also teaching learners, teachers and parents how to grow their own food, a step toward long-term household resilience.

But while South Africa’s programme is expansive, international examples suggest it could go further.

In Rio de Janeiro, school feeding is embedded within a broader, legally backed food system. Across Brazil, more than 40-million children benefit from a national school feeding programme that not only addresses hunger but actively reshapes how food is produced, sourced and consumed.

At the EDI Gabriela Mistral School in southern Rio, children as young as four eat meals prepared with fresh ingredients, many grown in the school’s own garden. Ultra-processed foods are banned under national law.

Aligne Borges, a technician involved in Brazil’s national school feeding programme, described it as one of the largest food security initiatives in the world. “In 2023, we banned processed foods from school meals. We now have more than 65 diversified food items offered in schools,” she said.

Menus are standardised and published weekly, ensuring consistency and accountability, while the programme doubles as a form of food education.

“Children are taught not only how to handle food, but also the long-term impact of healthy eating,” Borges said.

The impact extends beyond the classroom. Parents report that children are more willing to eat vegetables at home, especially those they have grown themselves.

Environmental teacher Laura Ribeiro said the school garden plays a powerful role in shifting attitudes. “Before you arrived, a child said she didn’t like spinach. I asked her, ‘Have you ever eaten spinach you planted?’ That connection to the land changes everything,” she said.

Through harvesting and hands-on learning, children bring new knowledge home, sometimes even surprising their parents. “They go home and explain what they planted and ate. Some parents don’t believe it at first, but it opens conversations and builds awareness,” Ribeiro said.

While Brazil’s model is backed by strong legislation and scale, South Africa’s programme remains a vital frontline defence against hunger, one that continues to evolve.

For children like Liyabona, however, the impact is immediate and deeply personal. Because for her, and millions like her, a meal at school is not just nourishment, it is hope.