The initiative, funded by the Government of Honduras with USD 15 million, aims to strengthen the programme’s decentralized management across 30 municipal associations in the country and promote local procurement of fresh food with a focus on nutrition.
Tegucigalpa, Honduras, 29 October 2026. The Government of Honduras, through the Secretariat of Social Development (SEDESOL), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) formalized an agreement to implement the project “Territorial Management Model for the Decentralization of the National School Feeding Programme (PNAE)”.
The agreement was formalized through the signatures of Fátima Suárez, Secretary of State at the Secretariat of Social Development, and Fátima Espinal, FAO Representative in Honduras.
“Building on the experience of previous models developed under the Sustainable Schools approach, we are scaling up our efforts to help incorporate fresh food into school meals. Municipalities and municipal associations will play a leading role, serving as the channel through which farmers will receive support to ensure they deliver the agreed quantities and diversity of products to schools,” explained Espinal.
The project will run from November 2026 to December 2029 and will have a budget of USD 15 million, funded by the Government of Honduras. Its implementation will cover 30 municipal associations across the country, prioritizing areas that are highly vulnerable to climate-related events and have low food security indicators.
The initiative will help institutionalize a decentralized management model for the PNAE, strengthen territorial governance and establish local procurement mechanisms that enable the participation of local producers while ensuring the inclusion of fresh foods — including fruits, vegetables and protein sources — in school meals. The Programme’s monitoring and accountability system will also be strengthened.
Currently, the PNAE is one of the Honduran State’s main strategies to support school-age children, reaching approximately 1.2 million students enrolled in pre-primary and primary education throughout the country.
Through this initiative, the Government of Honduras and FAO reaffirm their commitment to working together to strengthen school feeding, promote the participation of territorial stakeholders and link local production to children’s food and nutritional needs, thereby contributing to food and nutrition security and the country’s sustainable development.
Content produced by FAO and the Government of Honduras.