Suriname school feeding program expands to 316 schools

Suriname’s national school feeding program is expanding, with 316 schools registered for the 2026/2027 school year. The initiative aims to provide approximately 34,000 loaves of bread and warm meals daily to support student well-being and educational concentration.

Mireille Cramer, chair of the presidential working group for the School Feeding Project, noted that the program serves a vital social function by ensuring no child goes hungry during the school day. To manage the increased scale, the program is restructuring its logistics by increasing the number of delivery zones from 18 to 34. This change aims to reduce the workload per supplier and minimize delivery delays.

The program is also moving toward incorporating more locally produced food. Following a successful pre-pilot, more schools will be included in upcoming trials to study how local products can meet the diverse nutritional needs of different regions, from urban areas like Latour to more remote interior locations. This aligns with President Jennifer Simons’ vision to stimulate local production.