NATIONAL HOME GROWN SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME (NHCSFP) AND ITS IMPACT ON EMPLOYMENT GENERATION IN NIGERIA ( A CASE STUDY  OF KASTINA STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of study

The efforts of international organizations, regional governments, national governments, and nongovernmental organizations to support school feeding programs are motivated by the high rates of poverty, hunger, and malnutrition in developing countries, which make it difficult for children to fully participate in primary school. Millions of children in Africa go to bed hungry and are often involved in labor activities, resulting in just a few years of education for these vulnerable youngsters compared to children in advanced nations. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for half of the world's 59 million youngsters who are out of school. "Girls are especially affected," according to WFP Chief of Staff James Harvey. Nearly 17 million children in Sub-Saharan Africa are not in school, and 9.3 million may never enter a classroom. " Hunger and malnutrition among African children have prompted the continent's political leaders to issue a clarion appeal to address the grave threat presented by poverty, hunger, and malnutrition among the continent's children. And school feeding programs are the most effective way to combat these threats. The National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP), administered by the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development, is one of the Buhari government's social safety net programs (FMHADMSD). It is part of the Nation Social Investment Programme (NSIP), which was launched in Abuja in 2016 by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

The NHGSFP's main goal is to offer a healthy, balanced lunch to 5.5 million students in public primary schools every school day. Furthermore, the initiative creates a value chain by providing employment for chefs and guaranteeing a stable income for small-scale farmers, resulting in a positive ripple impact on the rural economy. The ultimate aim of the Buhari administration's school feeding program is to raise enrollment rates by reducing the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria while also addressing early childhood malnutrition. The NHGSFP was intended to serve 5.5 million primary school students, but it now serves nearly 9 million students via 54,952 public primary schools in 35 states. Every day, one prepared meal is served to each kid. A chef (sometimes known as a "food seller") prepares meals for around 50 pupils on average. To fulfill the menu's nutritional criteria, 40 percent of the program's food budget is spent on protein (poultry, chicken, and eggs), which is purchased via regional distribution centers by consolidated farmer groups. The remaining 60% goes toward non-perishable foods like vegetables and fruit. The NHGSFP has significant socioeconomic development potential and should be reinforced, scaled up, and maintained throughout the country. The goal of the initiative is to increase enrollment by removing out-of-school youngsters from the streets. It offers employment for chefs and long-term revenue for farmers who participate in the program. "

1.1 Statement of problem

The introduction of the School Feeding Programme (SFP) in Nigeria was mainly to achieve this.pupils’ enrollment and retention ratio in schools. The programme focuses on rural and urban areas in arid and semi-arid areas. The programme was anchored on the universalization of primary schooling and the elimination of gender disparity in education by 2015, which are two of the eight millennium development goals adopted at the United Nations summit in 2000. The programme also generated employment opportunities as people were paid to prepare the meals.

Olubayo (2015) examined factors influencing the implementation of the School Feeding Programme in public primary schools in Nigeria. The study findings indicated that managerial competency, lack of adequate planning, funding, and lack of accountability in the utilization of of allocated funds. Olubayo (2015) indicated that managerial competency influences the planning process during implementation of the School Feeding Programme. Lack of financial investment plans and poor adherence to budget allocation also contributed to challenges experienced during implementation of the School Feeding Programme. He further noted that the lack of monitoring and evaluation systems and community participation influenced the implementation of the School Feeding Programme. These are the challenges facing the School Feeding Programme in Nigeria. The study findings revealed that poor management of the programmes, funding, and competency of programme managers, lack of political will, community participation, and lack of capacity of institutions influenced the implementation of the School Feeding Programme. Munuhe (2014) further indicated that poor management was attributed to poor planning, poor coordination, and lack of control over the implementation of the programme. He further noted that mis-management of funds inhibited successful implementation of the programme. Poor stakeholder involvement is attributed to challenges experienced during implementation of the programme.

1.2 Objective of study

The following are objective of this study:

1. To examine the economic benefit of NHGSFP

2. To  examine whether NHGSFP has a negative effect on employment generation.

3. To examine the impact NHGSFP has on the economy.

1.3 Research question

The following research question guides this study:

1. What are the economic benefit of NHGSFP?

2. Do NHGSFP have any negative effect on employment generation?

3. What is the the impact of NHGSFP on the Nigeria economy?

1.4 Significance of study

This study will be of significance to the government as the ensure the sustenance of National Home Growing School Feeding Program as to generate more employment opportunities.This study will further add to existing literature on this study domain and as well serve as a reference material to scholars, researchers and students who may want to carry out further research on this topic or related area in the future.

1.5 Scope of study

This study focuses on investigating the impact of national home growing school feeding program on employment generation. Specifically, the study will also focus on examining the economic benefit of NHGSFP, whether NHGSFP has a negative effect on employment generation, and the impact NHGSFP has on the economy.The study is limited to Kastina state. The enrolled participants of this study will be obtained from teachers of selected primary schools in Kastina state.

1.6 Limitation of study

Finance,inadequate materials and time constraint were the challenges the researchers encountered during the course of the study.

1.7 Definition of terms

Employment : Employment is a relationship between two parties, usually based on a contract where work is paid for, where one party, which may be a corporation, for profit, not-for-profit organization, co-operative or other entity is the employer and the other is the employee.

National Home Growing School Feeding Program: The National Home Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) is a government led N70 per day school feeding programme that aims to improve the health and educational outcomes of public primary school pupils