Ouagadougou, Prime Minister Apollinaire Kyelem de Tambela welcomed Friday in Koupèla the implementation of the Integrated School Food and Nutrition Support Program in Burkina Faso (PISANS). ) which will, according to him, drive the transformation of the education system, by combining theoretical learning and agricultural production, for the benefit of 108,137 children in 476 schools.
“The Integrated School Food and Nutrition Support Program in Burkina Faso (PISANS) is an operational document from the agencies of the United Nations system (SNU) aimed at driving the transformation of the Burkinabe education system, by combining theoretical learning and agricultural production,” rejoiced the Burkinabè Prime Minister, Me Apollinaire Kyelem de Tambela.
For Me Kyelem, the school thus becomes a real framework for boosting a dynamic of food production, which, without doubt, will contribute to structuring the future prosperity of Burkina Faso.
For him, this program will induce an increase in local agricultural production with the effect of strengthening the practice of endogenous canteens.
“It will promote the creation of wealth for the benefit of vulnerable households and small producers, by guaranteeing them a sustainable market through the school canteen,” rejoiced Mr. Kyelem.
He also welcomed that the program, in its capacity building component, provides a solution to the consolidation of good governance of school canteens.
For him, PISANS will also be an accelerator of sustainable and inclusive access to WASH services in schools (water, hygiene, and sanitation).
The student representative was delighted that “the products of our parents” will be purchased “to feed us well and improve our family living conditions”.
She promised to work hard at school to succeed in order to offer the same opportunities to the future generation.
“Since you have washed our backs, we will wash our faces, applying ourselves to school to show you good academic results. This is our promise. We want to be like you one day and support the emerging generations,” she promised.
The Integrated School Food and Nutrition Support Program in Burkina Faso (PISANS) is financed by four UN agencies, namely FAO, UNICEF, WFP and IFAD, at more than 18 billion FCFA. It supports the presidential initiative “Providing every child of school age with at least one balanced meal per day”.
The program intends to induce an increase in local agricultural production with the effect of strengthening the practice of endogenous canteens.
It will benefit 108,137 children from 476 schools. The pilot phase of the program extends over two school years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025.
It will be carried out in 8 municipalities spread across 6 regions. These include the Sahel region with the commune of Dori, the East with Diabo, the Center-North with Korsimoro and Boussouma, the Boucle du Mouhoun with Boromo, the North with Arbolé and the Central Plateau with Zorgho and Zitenga .
Source: Burkina Information Agency