School feeding programs in Kenya have become an essential platform for improving child nutrition, boosting education outcomes, and strengthening food systems, reaching more than 2.6 million learners in over 8,000 schools nationwide. While existing frameworks such as the Food and Nutrition Security Policy (2011), the National School Health Policy (2018), and the National School Meals and Nutrition Strategy (2017; 2022–2032) emphasize local sourcing, they lack explicit mechanisms for integrating Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) and smallholder farmers (SHFs) into school food supply chains. Centralized and complex procurement systems, limited aggregation, minimal institutional support, and restricted access to finance continue to hinder the participation of these key actors, despite their critical role in Kenya’s food economy.
Innovative models such as Nairobi’s Dishi na County demonstrate the potential for inclusive procurement, technology, and partnerships to transform school feeding into a catalyst for learning, nutrition and health, and local economic growth.
Building on these lessons, this policy brief by the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) under the Catalyzing Change for Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems (CCHeFS) Impact Project highlights how integrating micro and small enterprises (MSEs) and smallholder farmers (SHFs) into school feeding supply chains can unlock this potential.
