School feeding programs expand in Antioquia and Dominican Republic

Regional authorities in Colombia and the Dominican Republic have announced significant expansions and operational details for their respective school feeding programs to support student nutrition and school retention.

In Antioquia, Colombia, the government announced new resources to expand the School Feeding Program (PAE) to over 327,000 beneficiaries across 4,200 educational sites by 2026. The Departmental Assembly approved 45.9 billion pesos from vehicle taxes to ensure uninterrupted service. The initiative aims to increase the number of days students receive meals and includes specific nutritional considerations for indigenous communities.

In the Dominican Republic, the National Union of School Food Suppliers (Unsae) and the National Institute of Student Welfare (Inabie) announced the distribution of over 10.3 million rations for the 2026-2027 school cycle. The program will cover more than 5,000 schools nationwide, with each lunch costing RD$93.73. The rations are designed to include various proteins and grains to meet nutritional needs, supported by a field inspection and auditing scheme to ensure food safety.