The report provides an overview of the nutrition status of Malaysians and policy options to address both micronutrient deficiencies (of vitamins and minerals such as iron and calcium) and diet-related non-communicable diseases (such as diabetes and those causing obesity).

1. Panel Discussion:
School Feeding Program and
Other Mass Nutrition Initiatives
Venue : Victory Room, Mercu UEM
Date : 15th August 2019

2. School Feeding Program:
International and Malaysian Experience
Wan Abdul Manan Wan Muda
and Jomo K S
15th August 2019

3. Solving 3 Problems with One Approach
The School Feeding Program can tackle 3
challenges facing society and children:
1.Ensuring food security, including food safety
2.Improve nutritional status of the nation,
adequate macro and micronutrient
intakes to prevent hunger and “hidden”
hunger, stunting, and food related
problem such as obesity & NCDs
3.Increase student academic achievement and
equality among school children

4. What is school feeding?
• School feeding can be defined as provision of
food to children through schools
• Two basic modalities:
• On-site meals or snacks
• Take-home rations conditional to
attendance
• In some contexts, interventions combine on-
site programmes with take-home rations
targeting a specific group of vulnerable
children
• Balanced diet (for onsite meals)
• Free

5. Objectives of School Feeding
• Prevent hunger among children
• Improve children’s nutritional
status
• Improve school attendance
• Improve academic performance
• Improve student’s socialisation –
through eating together and equal
participation

6. Strategic focus and implementation
Strategic focus:
1. Education
2. Nutrition and health
3. Agriculture
Implementation objectives:
1. Universal
2. Individual
3. Geography

7. School Feeding is an Effective Safety
Net
School feeding as part of
the social protection
system
School feeding
improves growth in
children
School feeding can
strengthen local (food)
agricultural production
Help protect vulnerable
children during times of
crises
Improved children’s
nutritional status as a
form of investment in
nutrition
Sustainable food supply
and food chains from
local suppliers

8. Food Preparation for School Meals
1. Eating in schools
2. Fortified foods or snacks
Serving food in schools:
a)Cooking in school premises (kitchen or
cafetaria or canteen)
b)Centralised kitchen – and cooked food
delivered to participating schools
Advantages and disadvantages of the two
methods!

9. School Feeding Governance
Relevant ministries
• Ministry of Education: management, education
• Ministry of Health: diet, nutrition
• Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industries:
safe and nutritious food sources
• Ministry of Entrepreneur Development(Cooperative):
farmers and consumers cooperatives
• Ministry of Family, Women and Community
Development: welfare of children and families
• Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs:
prices and safety of food

10. School feeding governance
School level: Stakeholders
1. The school
2. Parent teachers association
3. Food suppliers (including fresh
food)
4. Monitoring of food preparation:
hygiene, safety, standard

11. Funding and supervision
Funded by the federal government
subject to:
1. Transparency
2. Public accountability
In some countries, school feeding is funded by
or in partnership with transnational food
corporations, e.g. Indonesia
Be very careful, if possible, avoid!
(There is no ‘free lunch’)

12. Complex impact pathways
School
feeding
Education
Nutrition &
health
Agriculture

13. Policy framework
Incorporating
school feeding in
national
development
policies and
stategies, through
SDGs
Strengthening
institutional
capacity
Build institutional
capacity to
implement as an
effective, cost-
efficient and
sustainable program
Supporting
sustainability
Encourage long term
running of school
feeding based of
local resources
Implementation requires cooperation between
ministries, parents and farmers from the start
of the program. Early consultation with parents
and farmers is crucial
Cooperation between sectors based on 3 premises

14. Government Intersectoriality
Ministry of
Agriculture
Farmers &
Suppliers
Ministry of
Education
School
administration
Parents
Teachers
Association
Civil
Society
Organisations
Ministry of
Health
Clinics,
hospitals and
nutritionists
School
Feeding
Program
Other agencies:
Cooperatives,
Consumers,
Family

15. Our recommendation
School Lunch Program

16. School Lunch, why?
• Increase appreciation for food origins,
cultural food history, food varieties, and
relationship to environment, agriculture
• Support & teach principles of a “social meal”
• Education in the preparation & service of
healthy, economic meals
• Food will be served in an conducive
environment with adequate time for meal
service
• Increased socialisation and gender equity
• Link with nutrition policy promoting healthy
food choices throughout the school
• A comprehensive food education

17. Malaysia’s school supplementary
feeding program (RMT)

18. Malaysia’s school supplementary
feeding program (RMT)

19. Malaysia’s school supplementary
feeding program (RMT)

20. Energy-densed cereal snack (RMT)

21. Cereal snack ingredients
21
1. Oat
2. Bertih Beras
3. Madu 4. Badam
5. Kurma
6. Rosel

22. Program Hidangan Berkhasiat di Sekolah
(HiTS)

23. Japan School Lunch Program

24. Value
Transfer
Education
Nutrition
Gender
 School feeding transfers resources to
households, averting negative coping
strategies, enabling investments
 School feeding can help enhance
enrolment and reduce absenteeism.
 Improved micro and macronutrient
intakes enhance nutrition and health,
improves learning, decreases morbidity
 Proven positive contribution to gender
equality.
Platform for
wider socio-
economic
Benefits
 Linkages to health and nutrition,
including special interventions. Spin
offs for community development, local
production.
Conclusion: Expectations and
Outcome

25. Nutrition
Education/
gender
Income
transfer
Agriculture
… With benefits

26. Thank You

27. KhazanahResearchInstitute
Upcoming Discussion Sessions
+ Achieving Food Security for all Malaysians
• 5th of Sept, Thursday, 10am – 12pm:
Obesity, diabetes & other non-
communicable diseases
• 1st of October, Tuesday, 10am – 12pm:
Tackling micronutrient deficiencies

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30. Acknowledgements
Tan Zhai Gen (KRI)
Nazran Zhufri Ahmad Johari (KRI)
Prof Madya Zuraini Mat Issa (RMT photos)