Nourishing the Future: Reviewing Cambodia’s Community-Based School Feeding Program

PHNOM PENH, February 19, 2026 — His Excellency Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, chaired a pivotal meeting to review the progress of the School Feeding Program using Community Agriculture. This vital initiative is held under the high patronage of Dr. Pich Chanmony Hun Manet.

The meeting brought together leadership from the Ministry of Education, the National Council for Social Protection, and representatives from the World Food Program (WFP) to refine the strategy for a sustainable, nationalized food program.

A Roadmap for Health and Education

The program is a cornerstone of Cambodia’s social protection policy, designed to bridge the gap in nutrition and education quality between urban and rural areas. Key focus areas discussed include:

• Improved Learning Outcomes: Providing hot, nutritious, and hygienic meals to boost intellectual development and student attendance.
• Economic Synergy: Utilizing community agriculture to support local small-scale farmers and agricultural communities, creating a circular local economy.
• National Ownership: Strengthening the joint strategy to transition the program from WFP support to a fully nationalized program by 2028.
• Impact Metrics: Reducing dropout rates and boosting the effectiveness of Early Grade Reading and Mathematics programs through better student health.

Upcoming Visit to Kampong Chhnang

To showcase the practical success of this model, a high-level visit led by Dr. Pich Chanmony Hun Manet is scheduled for the end of February 2026 at a primary school in Kampong Chhnang province. This visit will highlight how local communities and schools collaborate to build Cambodia’s human capital.