This World Food Day, under the theme “Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow,” we celebrate the ideas, knowledge, technologies and collective action that can transform our food systems, ensuring nutritious food for all while protecting the planet and improving the livelihoods of those who feed us. Together with Route to Food, TISA, Greenpeace, Burner Market and other partner organisations, we are marking the day at GBIACK in Thika, Kiambu County. As we explore pathways towards more sustainable food systems, it is important to recognise that agroecology and innovation can go hand in hand. Agroecology is not about turning our backs on technology. Mechanisation can ease farmers’ workload, new technologies can improve resource efficiency, and value addition can create wealth, jobs and better livelihoods. What matters is ensuring that innovation works with nature, strengthens local food systems and benefits the people who feed us. Ultimately, everyone deserves access to safe, nutritious and affordable food, and those who produce and deliver it deserve dignified livelihoods. A better food future is possible when we put people, the planet and justice at the centre. #WorldFoodDay #FoodJustice #Agroecology #InnovateTodayNourishTomorrow

During one of our community dialogue sessions on school feeding, Masaku, a representative of a Local Business Association (LBA), made a compelling case for rethinking how we approach fruit provision in schools in informal settlements. Rather than dismissing fruits as too expensive for these school meals, he challenged parents, teachers and chefs to consider practical, affordable ways of making them accessible to children. A large orange or mango, for instance, can be shared among four children. While each child may not receive a whole fruit, sharing is better than excluding fruit from their meals altogether. Fruits can also be sourced during peak seasons, when they are more readily available and often more affordable. His contribution also highlighted the important role local business associations (LBAs) play in strengthening school food systems. By linking smallholder farmers and local vendors to schools, they help bring fresh, locally sourced produce closer to learners. LBA members have also received food safety training, equipping them with knowledge that supports the safe handling and supply of fresh produce. Masaku’s insight reminds us that improving children’s diets does not always require expensive solutions. Sometimes, it takes intentional planning, stronger local partnerships and making better use of the resources available in our communities. Lishe Fiti, Masomo Fiti, Future Fiti! #SchoolMeals #FoodJustice #NutritionForAll #LocalFoodSystems #SmallholderFarmers #FoodSafety #LisheFitiMasomoFitiFutureFiti @aphrc

Over the past two days, we have supported two practical cooking demonstration activities, bringing together teachers, headteachers, parents, and local business association representatives from over 10 community schools in Kibra and Mukuru kwa Njenga. On Thursday, we supported an engagement convened by #PamojaFM in collaboration with #CBCK in Kibra. On Friday, we engaged with Sidarec in Mukuru kwa Njenga. During these engagements, we demonstrated practical and affordable ways to enrich standard school meals, promote dietary diversity, and ensure children receive essential nutrients for healthy growth and development. These activities are part of the project “Scaling the Integration of Micro and Small Enterprises and Smallholder Farmers into School Meals Programs in Urban Informal Settlements in Kenya.” IFJAD continues to contribute nutrition expertise to these important engagements, demonstrating how nutritious school meals prepared using locally sourced ingredients can nourish children while creating market opportunities for smallholder farmers and local food businesses. By connecting nutrition, education, and local food systems, we can work towards school meal programmes that benefit both children and the communities that feed them. #SchoolNutrition #RightToFood #FoodSystems #FoodJustice African Population and Health Research Center (@aphrc , @KaoraDennis , @nekesa_t , @kamauamos106 , @crispus_kinyua CBCK (Christian Best Camps of Kenya)

A child spends a big part of their day at school. What they eat there matters. Every school meal is an opportunity to nourish a growing child, support their learning, and build healthy eating habits. But school meals can do even more. When schools serve nutritious meals made with locally sourced foods, they can support children’s nutrition while creating markets for smallholder farmers and local food businesses. That means a school meal can connect three important things: a child’s health, a farmer’s livelihood, and a stronger local food system. Through the Scaling for Impact (S4I) project, supported by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC), we are working to strengthen the links between school meals, local food supply chains, and healthier food systems. #IFJAD contributes to this effort by supporting nutrition education and creating demand for healthy school meals, working alongside community organized groups (COGs) and local business associations in Nairobi’s informal settlements. Because every child deserves a nutritious meal, and every meal is an opportunity to make our food systems work better for everyone.Lishe Fiti, Masomo Fiti, Future Fiti! #LISHEFITI #SchoolMeals #FoodJustice #Nutrition #FoodSystems #IFJAD

Yesterday, we joined a community dialogue at Reuben Centre in Mukuru kwa Reuben, engaging local business associations, PTAs and teachers on strengthening school meals in urban informal settlements. We are privileged to contribute to the project, “Scaling the Integration of Micro and Small Enterprises and Smallholder Farmers into the School Meals Program in Urban Informal Settlements in Kenya,” led by African Population and Health Research Center, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Wasafiri. Through this partnership, #IFJAD is contributing to community engagement and nutrition SBCC, including developing accessible nutrition messages and materials in Sheng. We are also supporting community organized groups (COGs) and local business associations (LBAs) as they work with schools and communities to strengthen the case for schools to procure from local businesses. School meals can improve nutrition while creating markets for smallholder farmers and local food businesses. When these systems are strengthened, they can also advance food safety, support local livelihoods and contribute to more resilient urban food systems. We are grateful to APHRC for the trust and partnership. There is a lot to learn from communities, COGs and LBAs, and we look forward to continued collaboration towards stronger outcomes. #SchoolMeals #FoodSystems #Nutrition #FoodSafety #SmallholderFarmers #LocalProcurement #FoodJustice #UrbanFoodSystems #MukuruKwaReuben #IFJAD #APHRC #IFPRI #Wasafiri @aphrc @IFPRI @IFPRI_Africa