Many Countries Have Free Meals Policies, Indonesia Lags Behind

Many countries have implemented school feeding policies, providing free meals—breakfast, lunch, or both—to students. This is documented in the World Food Programme (WFP)'s *The State of School Feeding Worldwide 2022* report.

The WFP defines school feeding as the provision of food to children through school-based programs. These programs can involve direct meal provision at school, cash transfers for food purchases, or take-home rations.

"School feeding can impact at least four sectors: agriculture, education, health, and social protection," states the WFP report.

According to the WFP, well-nourished children learn better, have a greater chance of maximizing their potential as adults, and improve their earning prospects.

The WFP also notes that free school meal programs directly benefit smallholder farmers, supporting food production and local economies, and fostering diverse and nutritious food markets.

WFP data indicates that in 2022, at least 65 countries had national school feeding policies. However, not all implemented these policies 100%.

Indonesia, meanwhile, lacks a similar national policy.

Below is a complete list of countries with national free school meal policies, along with the program coverage progress in 2022, according to WFP data:

Sub-Saharan Africa:

1. Burkina Faso: 100% (proportion of primary school students receiving free meals)
2. Eswatini: 100%
3. Botswana: 100%
4. Sao Tome and Principe: 100%
5. South Africa: 87%
6. Lesotho: 85%
7. Namibia: 67%
8. Zimbabwe: 64%
9. Malawi: 60%
10. Zambia: 57%
11. Gambia: 47%
12. Sudan: 39%
13. Benin: 38%
14. Sierra Leone: 28%
15. Mauritania: 26%
16. Liberia: 26%
17. Ivory Coast: 25%
18. Burundi: 23%
19. Kenya: 22%
20. Mali: 20%
21. Niger: 17%
22. Uganda: 11%
23. Ethiopia: 8%
24. Togo: 8%
25. Madagascar: 8%
26. Chad: 5%
27. Mozambique: 4%
28. Congo: coverage data unavailable
29. Guinea-Bissau: coverage data unavailable

Europe and Central Asia:

1. Hungary: 100% (proportion of primary school students receiving free meals)
2. Czech Republic: 100%
3. Finland: 100%
4. Kazakhstan: 88%
5. Armenia: 66%
6. Tajikistan: 56%
7. Portugal: 50%
8. Switzerland: 13%
9. Kyrgyzstan: 12%
10. Cyprus: 10%
11. Greece: 0%

Latin America and the Caribbean:

1. Brazil: 100% (proportion of primary school students receiving free meals)
2. Honduras: 100%
3. Guatemala: 87%
4. Panama: 71%
5. Mexico: 47%
6. Saint Lucia: 45%
7. Trinidad and Tobago: 17%
8. Guyana: coverage data unavailable

East Asia and the Pacific:

1. Timor-Leste: 100% (proportion of primary school students receiving free meals)
2. Mongolia: 100%
3. Palau: 100%
4. Thailand: 63%
5. Philippines: 27%
6. Laos: 21%
7. Malaysia: 15%
8. Cambodia: 12%

South Asia:

1. Nepal: 76% (proportion of primary school students receiving free meals)
2. Sri Lanka: 62%
3. India: 55%
4. Bhutan: 33%
5. Bangladesh: 15%

Middle East and North Africa:

1. Tunisia: 20% (proportion of primary school students receiving free meals)
2. United Arab Emirates: 18%
3. Iraq: coverage data unavailable

North America:

1. United States: 65% (proportion of primary school students receiving free meals)