Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Nepal’s Mid Day Meals Programme is, at its heart, a story of national resolve. It spans more than six decades of experimentation, partnership, political transformation and political will, and an unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child, regardless of geography, ethnicity, or wealth, can learn and thrive.
What began in 1967 as a small initiative to address classroom hunger has evolved into one of the country's largest social protection programmes, reaching nearly 3 million children, upto Grade 5, across all 77 districts and becoming fully financed by the Government of Nepal in 2025. The government plans to expand the programme upto Grade 8 and increase coverage to as many as 4.5 million children in coming years, further reinforcing school meals as a cornerstone of the country's social protection and human capital development agenda.
Nepal’s Mid Day Meals Programme is, at its heart, a story of national resolve. It spans more than six decades of experimentation, partnership, political transformation and political will, and an unwavering commitment to ensuring that every child, regardless of geography, ethnicity, or wealth, can learn and thrive.
What began in 1967 as a small initiative to address classroom hunger has evolved into one of the country's largest social protection programmes, reaching nearly 3 million children, upto Grade 5, across all 77 districts and becoming fully financed by the Government of Nepal in 2025. The government plans to expand the programme upto Grade 8 and increase coverage to as many as 4.5 million children in coming years, further reinforcing school meals as a cornerstone of the country's social protection and human capital development agenda.
