Apam (C/R), July 18, GNA - SEND foundation, an international non-governmental group, in partnership with its local collaborators, has organized a workshop for key stakeholders in the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP). The workshop aimed at adopting strategies to ensure the success of the programme and also make the children derive the required nutritional values from the food. The SEND Foundation is one of the organisations monitoring and evaluating the GSFP, as well as building the capacity of implementers in some districts.

Officials of the District Assemblies, HIPC Monitoring Committees, District GSFP implementation committees, head teachers, matrons, farmers' associations and traditional rulers from Gomoa East and West districts participated in the workshop. Nana Ama Bamfo, a resource person from the SEND Foundation, pointed out that success stories of the pilot project in 10 African countries by the New Partnership of African Development between 2005-2006 had led to the development of a strategic plan to expand its scope to cover 1,200 million primary and kindergarten children by 2010. He said the programme would be replicated in other African countries. She pointed out that GSFP was not merely to provide food for the children but also to use the programme to increase school enrolment and more importantly to retain the children in school.

Mrs. Evelyn Opare, Gomoa West District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, advised school matrons to ensure that they served nutritious food to the children. She urged them to patronize locally produced foods items to encourage local farmers to produce more. Participants recommended that children should be served with fruits after meals. They also recommended regular dew arming of the children, at least twice in a year, and the establishment of community farms to support the programme.