Basseterre, St. Kitts, Wednesday, May 06, 2026: A technical mission from the World Food Programme (WFP) is currently in St. Kitts conducting a comprehensive assessment aimed at identifying gaps and opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of school meals and nutrition initiatives across the island.
As part of their engagement, the delegation made a courtesy call on Prime Minister, Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, where discussions focused on the importance of nutrition in education and the government’s continued commitment to supporting school feeding initiatives.
The mission also held an introductory meeting with senior officials within the Ministry of Education and related departments. Among those in attendance were Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Lisa-Romayne Pistana; focal point on the mission, Nutritional Surveillance Officer, Mrs. Lotaya Matthew-Duncan; CEO, Mr. Francil Morris; School Meals Coordinator, Mr. Leon Williams; and other ministry representatives. These discussions provided an opportunity to align priorities, share insights, and outline the scope of the technical assessment.
Mrs. Latoya Matthew-Duncan, Nutrition Surveillance Officer, Ministry of Health and Focal Point on the mission, underscored the importance of the initiative in advancing and improving the Federation’s approach to student nutrition.
“The Technical Mission represents an important opportunity for the Federation to not only look at our national school meals programme from a much wider angle, but also to assist us with identifying gaps and challenges, as well as look at ways to adjust them. I think this mission is timely, as school nutrition in the Caribbean is a big deal. I think that it is a great vessel to look at nutrition interventions for St. Kitts and Nevis overall.”
Mr. Alessio Orgera, Regional Adviser, School-based Programmes, WFP, outlined the mission as an assessment effort aimed at giving a detailed report to guide future action.
“This is an observatory exercise, so we will be here visiting schools and facilities and meeting stakeholders from different areas. The main outcome of this exercise will be a comprehensive analysis report that will contain recommendations and set the path for the next steps.”
A series of field visits and stakeholder engagements is also being undertaken as part of the mission. This includes tours of central kitchen facilities, visits to schools, and consultations with supermarkets, wholesalers, and local farmers. The team is also facilitating workshops designed to gather data, build capacity, and encourage collaboration among key players in the food supply chain.
The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis continues to prioritize child nutrition as a critical component of its education agenda, and collaboration with WFP underscores a shared commitment to building resilient and inclusive food systems in schools.
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