An international symposium on China's Nutrition Improvement Plan takes place in Beijing on December 18 (COURTESY PHOTO) 

China's nutritional interventions in the schools of its underdeveloped regions have not only been a key component in its poverty alleviation story, but have also served as a model for other school meal programs around the world, according to Valerie Guarnieri of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP). 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of China's Nutrition Improvement Program for Rural Students in Compulsory Education, which aims to cut malnutrition among rural students in poor areas during their nine years of compulsory education, and to promote education equity. The policy currently benefits approximately 37 million students each year and measures of nutrition, including height, are improving.

"In the last decade, China has made great achievements…We have learned a lot from China's experience and the success," said Guarnieri, who is the Assistant Executive Director of the WFP. She made her remarks via video link to the International Symposium for the 10th Anniversary of Nutrition Improvement Plan held in Beijing on December 18.

"The scale and quality of Chinese school feeding programs serves a great example to other countries," she said. This experience sharing is precious in the context of South-South and triangle cooperation, especially in the areas of food safety, food quality, innovation, digital monitoring and financial management.

The prevalence of stunting and wasting in Chinese children under five years old is lower than the average for Asian regions, said Gerda Laiming, Assistant Secretary-General of United Nations and coordinator of Scaling Up Nutrition Movement. Laiming added that she is proud of China for its national nutrition plan and for improving the health of all children across China.

Li Wei, Chairman of China Development Research Foundation, said at the symposium that despite the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, Chinese students’ nutrition has maintained its upward trajectory.

In 2021, the Central Government's funding to the program was approximately 26 billion yuan ($4.08 billion), up 12.9 percent from the previous year. Additionally, beginning in the autumn semester of this year, the program has increased the daily subsidy for each student from four to five yuan ($0.63 to 0.79).

According to an evaluation report released at the symposium, the program delivers positive results to children’s brain structure and function and physical health. It also increases families' understanding of health and nutrition, and builds a strong nutritional foundation for the development of future generations. 

The report also suggests giving legal protection to the nutrition plan, continuing to improve the plan’s quality, and ensuring each penny is spent on feeding children in need.

Copyedited by G.P. Wilson

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