KATHMANDU, Jan 14: The Government of Finland and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have signed an agreement to provide additional funding of EUR 619,986 (approximately Rs 103.79 million) to scale up the Renewable Energy for Resilient Agri-Food Systems (RERAS) project.
The RERAS project is funded by the Government of Norway and implemented in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP). The new funding will expand the Home-Grown School Feeding initiative under the Government of Nepal’s Mid-Day School Meals Programme to 427 schools across 10 municipalities in Bajura, Surkhet, and Baitadi districts.
The initiative aims to enhance local crop productivity, expand market access, and promote the productive use of energy. The agreement was signed by Ambassador of Finland to Nepal, Petri Puhakka and UNDP Nepal Resident Representative Kyoko Yokosuka on behalf of their respective organisations.
“Finland has established a free, nutritious, and equitable school meal model that ensures all students have access to healthy food regardless of background,” Ambassador Puhakka said. “As co-chair of the Global School Meals Coalition, we are proud to champion equitable access to nutritious school meals for all children.”
Nepal and Finland to cooperate to reduce climate-induced natura...
Ambassador Puhakka added that the new initiative reflects strong Nordic cooperation in advancing climate-resilient development in Nepal, building on Norway’s RERAS project and Finland’s Local Adaptation to Climate Change (LACC) project, implemented under a delegated agreement with the European Union. “Through these joint efforts, Finland reaffirms its commitment to fostering sustainable and inclusive livelihoods and translating global pledges into tangible results on the ground,” he said.
Under the expanded programme, climate-resilient agricultural practices will be scaled up to ensure that 30,000 students receive nutritious, locally sourced midday meals every day. The project will also improve access to clean energy for meal preparation by constructing or rehabilitating 10 climate-smart school kitchens, introducing Metallic Improved Cooking Stoves (MICS) in 40 schools, and Electric Induction Cooking Stoves (EICS) in 10 schools.
The additional funding will further strengthen local food systems by linking cooperatives and farmers’ groups directly with schools, creating reliable markets for climate-resilient agricultural produce while ensuring a steady supply of nutritious meals for students.
“This partnership strengthens school nutrition by linking farmers and cooperatives to schools, enhancing local productivity through climate-resilient agriculture, and promoting clean energy solutions for cooking,” said UNDP Resident Representative Kyoko Yokosuka. “By delivering healthy meals and empowering communities, UNDP remains committed to scaling inclusive and sustainable solutions together with the Government of Nepal, Norway, Finland, WFP, and local partners.”
WFP Representative and Country Director Riaz Lodhi said home-grown school meals go beyond nutrition. “They are a catalyst for systemic change,” he said. “This approach not only ensures children receive nutritious meals every day but also drives inclusive economic growth and strengthens food systems in the long term.”
He also commended the Government of Nepal for championing the home-grown school meals initiative and its plan to gradually scale up the programme nationwide, noting that this would ensure the RERAS project supports a sustainable, government-led vision.
Since its launch in July 2023, the RERAS project has supported local governments in Karnali, Sudur Paschim, and Bagmati provinces to improve food and nutrition security. By leveraging affordable and reliable renewable energy for agricultural production, irrigation, processing, storage, packaging, and marketing, the project has directly benefited around 10,000 households and improved access to clean energy for more than 150,000 people, contributing to UNDP’s global efforts to address multidimensional poverty.
