All 47 Kenyan counties are preparing to enact common legislation that will require each jurisdiction to introduce mandatory school feeding programmes.

This initiative follows a comprehensive study by the Council of Governors (CoG) that identified undernutrition as a silent crisis draining billions of shillings and costing lives among affected Kenyans.

Cost of undernutrition

The study, based on Kenya’s 2014 demographic data as part of the Cost of Hunger in Africa (COHA) research, reveals that undernutrition has far-reaching implications for public health, the economy and education.

According to the findings, undernutrition cost Kenya Sh373.9 billion, equivalent to 6.9 per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The health statistics are particularly alarming. Among the 192,397 child deaths reported in 2014, nearly one in five deaths (19.4 per cent) of children under five years were directly linked to undernutrition.

The study identified undernutrition as significantly increasing the risk of illnesses including diarrhoea, pneumonia, malaria, and anaemia.

Of Kenya’s 7.22 million children under five years, the research revealed widespread chronic malnutrition: 1.8 million children (26 per cent) were stunted, 767,927 (11 per cent) were underweight, and 290,000 (four per cent) were wasted.

Educational impact

These health challenges have placed a heavy burden on families and the public health system, with treatment costs related to childhood undernutrition estimated at Sh18.6 billion, or 0.3 per cent of GDP.

While the government covered 56 per cent of these costs, families bore a significant 44 per cent burden – a particularly heavy load for low-income households.

The CoG noted that persistent malnutrition manifests as stunting, wasting, and micronutrient deficiencies, severely undermining cognitive development and academic performance among pre-primary children.

The educational consequences are substantial: children who experience stunting before age five tend to underperform in school, scoring 3.5 per cent lower grades and showing higher rates of class repetition.

The study found that 17.6 per cent of all school repetitions were attributed to stunting, costing the education system Sh3.2 billion, or 0.06 per cent of GDP.

Economic consequences

Furthermore, only 16.9 per cent of stunted children completed primary education compared to 62.2 per cent of their non-stunted peers, reflecting significant disadvantages in cognitive development and long-term academic progression.

The situation has devastating long-term impacts on national productivity. Adults who experienced stunting as children earn less and are more likely to be trapped in manual or low-skill labour.

The loss in productivity was estimated at a staggering Sh352.1 billion, or 6.5 per cent of GDP, making it the largest contributor to economic losses.

The study revealed that of Kenya’s 31 million working-age population, about 12.9 million (41.4 per cent) had been stunted as children. Among them, 4.5 million (14.4 per cent) were engaged in non-manual work but still suffered productivity losses due to early-life undernutrition.

Additionally, 1.2 million potential workers died due to undernutrition-related causes, resulting in lost income worth Sh188.8 billion (3.5 per cent of GDP).

Proposed solution

To address these challenges, the CoG, in partnership with Food for Education (a non-profit organisation), has been developing a model school feeding policy.

This policy aims to establish sustainable, locally-appropriate school feeding programmes that enhance child development, education outcomes, and community empowerment through coordinated multi-sectoral approaches.

The CoG acknowledges that school feeding programmes are among the devolution-era initiatives that have encountered underfunding, unclear policy frameworks, fragmented programmes, and inadequate institutionalisation, creating vulnerability to external shocks.

County leaders say the programme will make food accessible to learners and create equitable school feeding programmes county-wide.

The initiative will be embedded in their Integrated Development Plans to ensure funds are allocated to feed pre-primary learners.

Implementation strategy

Governors plan to prioritise purchasing home-grown food from farmer cooperatives with direct linkages to school feeding programmes in various counties.

Schools will be required to develop gardens and revive agricultural clubs as part of the initiative.

The proposed policy also requires counties to build standardised kitchens, dining facilities, secure storage areas, and ensure clean water access and sanitation facilities in institutions.

To guarantee meal safety, counties will be required to train and certify food handlers on safety and nutritional standards.

Dr Erick Mutai, chairperson of CoG’s Education Committee, has called for urgent investments in multisectoral approaches to combat undernutrition.

“School feeding programmes are not about a meal on a plate; they are symbols of equity, an enabler of access, and a powerful lever for retention and learning,” Mutai said in Kisumu recently.

Success story

Nairobi County’s feeding programme was the pioneer, with Governor Johnson Sakaja launching the project in selected city schools two years ago.

Known as Dishi Na County, the programme was feeding over 300,000 learners across 230 public Early Childhood Development Education centres and primary schools by the end of 2024.

The programme served a total of 30 million meals in 2024, with  Sakaja reporting that the initiative has resulted in a 34 per cent increase in school enrolment since its inception.