Understanding the Decentralised School Food Procurement Model in Ghana Through the Lens of School Caterers: A...

The Ghana School Feeding Programme (GFSP) operates a decentralised procurement model, in which school caterers are responsible for: selecting, purchasing, transporting, preparing, delivering and distributing school meals. However, caterers' views and experiences are rarely taken into account. This study aimed to better understand GSFP caterers' lived professional experience to identify context-specific challenges and solutions around their food procurement and provisioning practices. A photovoice study was conducted in March-April 2024 in three regional districts of Greater Accra: Ashaiman, La Nkwantanang and Ningo-Prampram. Schools (n = 60) were randomly selected and school caterers (n = 34) were invited to attend training on the photovoice method and cocreate research questions. The training was attended by 27 caterers and individual follow-up interviews were conducted with 19 or the original participants. Data analysis included emergent themes and a priori codes, based on a school food system framework. A photo exhibition was held to advocate for change among GSFP stakeholders. Key themes discussed included: infrastructure support, food preparation, caterer wellbeing and wholesale and trading. Challenges such as low allocation of funds per student and delayed payments were referenced by all caterers and cut across most food system steps, shifting or interrupting caterers' ability to provide meals. Caterers recommended solutions included: timely payments, increased funding, bulk food purchasing, access to electricity and water and on-site school kitchens to improve GSFP delivery. The GSFP's procurement models merits careful review as current overhead costs placed on small-scale food system actors are unsustainable and jeopardise programme objectives. Acknowledging caterers' daily challenges and addressing concerns can promote caterer wellbeing alongside meal quality for programme beneficiaries.