A Community-Led Central Kitchen Model for School Feeding Programs in the Philippines: Learnings for Multisectoral...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Nutrition Science
• Health Policy

Background:

• Childhood undernutrition is a significant multisectoral challenge in devolved governance settings like the Philippines.
• Existing decentralized school feeding programs (SFPs) show mixed results, often relying on national or external entities.
• Local government units (LGUs) are crucial for coordinating effective nutrition interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the coordination processes of a central kitchen model for SFPs in the Philippines.
• To identify enabling factors and local solutions contributing to the institutionalization and sustainability of SFPs.
• To explore the role of LGUs and community multisectoral action in addressing childhood undernutrition.

Main Methods:

• Case study documenting coordination processes in an urban city and a rural province.
• Data collection via 24-hour dietary recalls (308 rural, 310 urban students) and caregiver household surveys.
• Focus group discussions with 160 multisector participants, including health, education, government, volunteers, parents, and staff.

Main Results:

• Undernutrition was confirmed as an urgent problem through dietary recalls and surveys.
• Locally led central kitchens fostered community ownership and LGU stewardship, ensuring sustainability despite leadership changes.
• The model demonstrated scalability and flexibility, adapting to local needs and external shocks like natural disasters and COVID-19.

Conclusions:

• Empowering civil society and leveraging LGUs can drive accountable multisectoral action in decentralized nutrition programs.
• The central kitchen model provides a sustainable framework for scaling social services in devolved settings.
• This approach enhances local government stewardship over nutrition initiatives.