FRESHGROWS Project Shows Positive Impact on School Nutrition

Preliminary findings from the FRESHGROWS project reveal significant positive impacts on both school nutrition and local farmer livelihoods. **Key Results:** - 25% increase in fresh vegetable consumption in participating schools - 40% increase in income for smallholder farmers supplying schools - Reduction in post-harvest losses through improved storage facilities - Increased gender equity in agricultural value chains The project, which links schools with local farmers for fresh produce supply, has been operational for 18 months across six schools in Lusaka. Nutritionists have documented improved dietary diversity among students, while farmers report more reliable income streams. "Before FRESHGROWS, we struggled to find markets for our vegetables. Now we have consistent buyers and fair prices," said Rebecca Banda, a participating farmer. School administrators have also noted improvements in student attendance and classroom concentration, which they attribute to better nutrition. The research team is now scaling up the intervention to additional schools and exploring policy pathways to integrate the model into national school feeding programmes. Full results will be published in the International Journal of Food Systems in June 2024. Contact: freshgrows@curp.unza.zm