School canteens: at the heart of academic success and local agriculture?

Audio 48:30

In the canteen of the École Jean Macé in Roubaix, the children finish their plates. © RFI / Christine Siebert

By: Emmanuelle Bastide

School canteens: at the heart of academic success and local agriculture? It's crazy what we find as political problems on the plates of students! In countries with canteens, including France where 3 million children eat lunch in the canteen, there is currently debate on organic, ecological transition and the promotion of local agriculture. The question of Pork in the canteen has fueled debates on secularism but everywhere the central question is the price of meals. Who has to pay, what accessibility to the most disadvantaged and what equity in school through the canteen? One thing is certain, the canteens are a real challenge for society and education, because we learn better on a full stomach. Yet 73 million children worldwide still do not have access to a school canteen.

Publicity

With:
- Alizée Ostrowski , former project manager at the FCPE (Federation of Parents' Councils) and co-author of the report published by the Terra Nova think tank on school canteens Children at the table: accelerating the food transition in school canteens
- Tiphaine Walton , communication and advocacy manager for the Paris office of the World Food Program (WFP)
- Marie-Agnès Dieme , founder of the association Toogal Djangue in Zottegem in Flanders (Belgium) and AJX Toogal Djangue in Senegal, associations working for the education of girls

Charlie Dupiot report
School canteens are rare in Senegal. Seyni Kebe is project manager and responsible for school canteens in Dakar for the NGO GRDR, the Research and Achievement Group for Rural Development. Since 2016, he has been piloting an experimental program, funded by donors, which has enabled canteens to be opened in 10 schools in Dakar: primary schools, colleges and high schools. The idea: convince the Senegalese government to invest in the area. Charlie Dupiot met him.

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