HOME-GROWN SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN BENUE STATE

Abstract

This study examined the impact of the Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) on the socio-economic development in Benue State. The incrementalism theoretical model provided a framework of analysis for the study. The study adopted a descriptive survey design. The major instruments employed to generate data for the study were questionnaires and interviews. Descriptive statistical measures were used to analyze the data for the study. Findings have revealed that the implementation of the HGSFP has not resulted in an increase in school enrolment in the State. Instead, the enrolment rate has decreased by 61.5%. Despite this decrease, the attendance rate increased by 11.12% during the implementation of HGSFP in the State. The program enhanced the income of cooks but this was not sustainable due to the rising prices of food items without a corresponding increase in the funds paid to the cooks. It was found that the food supplied to schools was not produced in the host communities of the schools. As a result, the HGSFP as an ongoing programme is yet to achieve its objective of boosting agricultural production of the local farmers. The study concluded that the HGSFP has the potential to increase enrolment rates but several challenges have affected the implementation of the program in the State. These challenges include inconsistency in the disbursement of funds by the Federal Government for the program; lack of effective monitoring and evaluation of the program; wrong bank verification numbers; hijacking of the program by the political class; inability to effectively monitor the food preparation to ensure the quality and quantity of food and the environment where food was served. The study recommended that there is a need for the Federal Government to be consistent in disbursing funds to cooks as this will increase the enrolment rates of pupils in schools. Also, there is a need for proper monitoring of the program to ensure that cooks buy foodstuffs directly from local farmers in the host communities of the schools. This will boost agricultural production and income of the local farmers in the State.