2023-2026
Ndola, Livingstone, Solwezi, Lusaka (Zambia) & Blantyre, Lilongwe (Malawi)
150+ Community Members
The project, officially named Future Resilience Home Grown School Feeding Ecosystems in Urban Zambia and Malawi (FRESHGROWS), is a comprehensive initiative dedicated to significantly enhancing the Home-Grown School Meals (HGSM) Programmes across both nations. FRESHGROWS works with key partners, including the University of Malawi and the Kasisi Agricultural Training Center, to move beyond simple food distribution and address deep-seated, systemic challenges that limit the program's effectiveness. These core areas of focus include reforming local procurement processes to ensure predictability, embedding principles of gender inclusion across the value chain, bolstering farm-level climate resilience for steady supply, and strengthening essential rural-urban food system linkages. The strategic goal is to co-create equitable, climate-resilient, and sustainable school feeding ecosystems that simultaneously maximize nutritional benefits for learners while securing stable, viable markets for local farmers. The project is strategically implemented across six city regions: Ndola, Livingstone, Solwezi, and Lusaka in Zambia, and Blantyre and Lilongwe in Malawi.
Supporting urban and peri-urban farmers with training, resources, and technical assistance to increase production of nutritious vegetables and fruits suitable for school feeding programs.
Working with schools to integrate locally-sourced fresh produce into feeding programs, including menu development, procurement systems, and nutrition education.
Building efficient supply chains connecting farmers to schools, including aggregation systems, quality standards, and logistics support.
Engaging parents, teachers, and community members in supporting school gardens, nutrition education, and sustainable food systems.
Improved dietary diversity and nutritional status of school children through increased access to fresh fruits and vegetables.
Enhanced livelihoods for urban farmers through stable market access and increased income from school feeding programs.
Strengthened local food systems that are more resilient to climate shocks and external disruptions.
Evidence-based insights on sustainable school feeding models that can be scaled and replicated in other urban contexts.
Research Partner
Training Partner
Media Partner
Chipampata is an urban planning expert with 10+ years' experience, Project Manager for FRESHGROWS Project (Zambia & Malawi) and Coordinator for Tuwe Pamoja, a CLARE program project. He specialises in urban food systems and governance.
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Address
Centre for Urban Research and Planning
University of Zambia
Great East Road Campus
P.O. Box 32379, Lusaka, Zambia
Phone
+260 211 293 579
info@curp.unza.zm
Office Hours
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday: 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Sunday: Closed