The Royal Government of Cambodia will gradually assume responsibility for funding school feeding programmes at more than 200 schools as the World Food Programme (WFP) reduces its assistance over the coming years, Prime Minister Hun Manet has announced. The transition is intended to ensure that students continue receiving nutritious meals, while strengthening the government's long-term role in supporting education, child nutrition and local agricultural communities.
Key Facts
Government commitment: Gradually take over school feeding costs at more than 280 schools currently supported by WFP.
WFP transition: Further reduce assistance to more than 200 schools in two years.
National programme coverage: 1,114 schools in 2026.
Beneficiaries: Approximately 300,000 students.
Existing government-funded schools: More than 800 schools.
Programme history: Started in 1999 through cooperation between the Royal Government and WFP.
Initial coverage: 64 schools nationwide.
Additional benefit: Government purchases agricultural products directly from local communities to supply school meals.
Announcement: November 3, 2026, during a school-building inauguration in Kampong Thom province.
Government to Assume Greater Responsibility for School Meals
Prime Minister Hun Manet announced the government's commitment while addressing the inauguration of five new school buildings containing 55 classrooms in Kampong Thom province on November 3.
He said the school feeding programme in the province operates under the “Partnership between the State and Communities for Education” initiative. Kampong Thom is one of 10 priority provinces selected for the programme.
The Prime Minister explained that the government would gradually take over responsibility for school feeding at more than 280 schools currently supported by WFP.
The State already finances the programme at more than 800 other schools.
As WFP further reduces its assistance to more than 200 schools in two years, the government will assume responsibility for maintaining the programme at those institutions to ensure students continue receiving meals.
Hun Manet said more than 1,000 students would continue benefiting from the programme through this transition.
The government is also conducting further studies to determine how its responsibilities can be expanded in the future.
School Feeding Programme Expands to 1,114 Schools
Cambodia's school feeding programme began in 1999 through a partnership between the Royal Government and WFP.
Initially, the initiative provided school meals at 64 schools nationwide, with a focus on supporting children in poor communities.
The programme recognises that adequate nutrition plays an important role in children's physical health and brain development, helping create better conditions for learning.
Over the years, its coverage has expanded significantly.
By 2026, the programme covered 1,114 schools and benefited approximately 300,000 students.
The expansion reflects the government's increasing involvement in school nutrition and the importance placed on ensuring that children from disadvantaged communities have access to meals at school.
Local Agricultural Purchases Support Farmers and Students
An important component of the programme is the government's initiative to purchase agricultural products directly from local communities.
Hun Manet said this approach creates two benefits.
First, it provides farmers with an additional market for their agricultural products, helping generate income within local communities.
Second, it supplies schools with nutritious food for students participating in the feeding programme.
The approach connects education and nutrition policy with rural economic development by linking local agricultural production to school meal procurement.
It also provides an opportunity to strengthen cooperation between schools, farmers and communities.
Government Acknowledges Challenges in Expanding Nationwide Coverage
Despite the programme's expansion, Hun Manet acknowledged that the government is not yet in a position to manage school feeding programmes across all of Cambodia's more than 7,000 primary schools.
He said the government would continue studying opportunities to gradually expand its responsibilities.
The planned transition from WFP support therefore represents a phased approach rather than an immediate nationwide takeover.
The government intends to maintain continuity at schools affected by WFP's planned reduction in assistance while assessing the next steps for the programme.
Education Investment Goes Beyond School Buildings
The Prime Minister also emphasised that investment in education must extend beyond constructing classrooms and school facilities.
He said education development requires several interconnected areas of support, including:
Teacher training and improved teaching capacity.
Educational materials and learning equipment.
Better school infrastructure and classroom facilities.
Attention to students' nutritional needs.
Continued support for children's physical and intellectual development.
His remarks highlight the government's position that school nutrition is an important part of the wider education system, particularly at the primary level.
Angkor Times Analysis: School Feeding Is Both an Education and Rural Development Investment
The government's planned assumption of school feeding costs as WFP reduces its support represents an important transition in Cambodia's approach to education and social development.
The programme's expansion from 64 schools in 1999 to 1,114 schools in 2026 demonstrates the scale of the partnership's development over more than two decades.
The next challenge will be ensuring that the transition does not interrupt meal provision for students who depend on the programme.
Three areas will be particularly important.
First, sustainable public financing. Taking over additional schools will require reliable budget allocations, procurement systems and long-term planning. The government will need to ensure that funding remains sufficient as responsibilities expand.
Second, reliable food supply and quality. Purchasing agricultural products directly from local communities can support farmers while supplying schools. Effective procurement, food safety standards and consistent nutritional quality will be essential to the programme's success.
Third, gradual expansion based on capacity. With more than 7,000 primary schools nationwide, extending school feeding to a much larger population will require careful assessment of costs, logistics and implementation capacity.
The programme also demonstrates how education policy can generate wider economic benefits. When schools source food from local farmers, public spending can support rural incomes while helping children access nutritious meals.
Ultimately, the success of the transition will depend on the government's ability to maintain consistent support for students, strengthen local supply chains and build a financially sustainable school nutrition system.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What has the Cambodian government announced?
The Royal Government will gradually take over funding for school feeding programmes at more than 280 schools currently supported by WFP.
2. When will WFP reduce its assistance to more than 200 schools?
The Prime Minister said WFP would further reduce its assistance to more than 200 schools in two years.
3. How many schools currently benefit from the programme?
The programme covered 1,114 schools nationwide in 2026.
4. How many students benefit from school feeding?
Approximately 300,000 students benefit from the programme.
5. When did Cambodia's school feeding programme begin?
The programme began in 1999 through a partnership between the Royal Government and WFP, initially covering 64 schools.
6. How does the programme support local farmers?
The government purchases agricultural products directly from local communities, providing farmers with income opportunities while supplying nutritious food to students.
7. Will the government immediately expand school feeding to every primary school?
No. Hun Manet said the government is not yet in a position to manage the programme across all more than 7,000 primary schools and will continue studying opportunities for gradual expansion.