How School Meals Can Transform Africa’s Economy: Agriculture, Jobs and Growth with Mehrdad Ehsani

Episode 219 with Mehrdad Ehsani, Vice President for Africa at The Rockefeller Foundation, a global institution working at the intersection of food systems, economic development, and climate resilience to improve livelihoods around the world. Mehrdad leads the Foundation’s work across Africa, focusing on building scalable systems that drive long term economic growth, agricultural transformation, and human capital development.

In this episode, we explore the launch of the US$80 million School Meals Accelerator, developed in partnership with the World Food Programme, the German Government, and the Novo Nordisk Foundation. This initiative aims to help governments reach an additional 100 million children with nutritious school meals, while strengthening national food systems, supporting local agriculture, and improving education outcomes.

Mehrdad breaks down why school meals are rapidly emerging as one of the most powerful and overlooked economic tools in Africa. From creating stable demand for smallholder farmers to unlocking rural market growth and strengthening domestic value chains, he explains how school feeding programmes can move beyond social support and become a core driver of economic transformation.

We also examine how governments can integrate school meals into national development strategies, the shift from donor led models to country led systems, and how this approach is reshaping the future of international development.

What We Discuss With Mehrdad

• Why school meals are becoming a powerful driver of economic growth, agricultural productivity, and human capital development in Africa
• How school feeding programmes can evolve into national economic infrastructure that supports food systems, labour productivity, and long term competitiveness
• The shift from donor led development to country led systems and what this means for governments, investors, and development partners
• How school meals can be used to build climate resilient food systems and strengthen local agricultural value chains
• Why policymakers, investors, and business leaders should view school meals as a strategic economic lever rather than a social programme

Did you miss my previous episode where I discuss How Crypto and Regulation Are Reshaping Africa’s Financial System: Payments, Remittances and Digital Assets? Make sure to check it out!

Connect with Terser:
LinkedIn – Terser Adamu
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Twitter (X) – @TerserAdamu

Connect with Mehrdad:
LinkedIn – Mehrdad Ehsani or The Rockefeller Foundation

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