From Commitment to Action: Launching the School Meals Accelerator Initiative at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture

On the 16th of January 2026, in Berlin, during this year Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), BMZ, the World Food Programme, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation, will launch the School Meals Accelerator Initiatives.
With the goal of supporting low- and lower-middle-income countries to scale and improve nationally owned school meal programmes, the Accelerator responds to the growing global momentum and demand for high-quality, demand-driven technical assistance.
By pooling expertise, resources, and innovation, the Accelerator aims to strengthen sustainable systems and national capacity, helping to reach an additional 100 million children with school meals by 2030.

The event will have two segments: an invitation-only session at Hub 27, Beta 8, with 110 international development representatives, featuring speeches and a ‘fishbowl’ discussion; followed by a public opening at the BMZ “Green Week” booth with press engagement.
Both segments will include high-level representation to ensure an impactful launch.

11:30 – Official Opening of BMZ Booth

• Ms. Reem Alabali Radovan, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development

11:50 – School Meals Accelerator (SMA) Launch Segment

• Opening remarks: Ms. Reem Alabali Radovan, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany

• Video presentation

• Lightning Round Insights with:

  • Ms. Rania Dagash-Kamara, Assistant Executive Director, World Food Programme

  • Ms. Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President of Programs, Rockefeller Foundation

  • Prof. Flemming Konradsen, Chief Scientific Officer, Health, Novo Nordisk Foundation

  • H.E. Prof. Ntoi Rapapa, Minister of Education and Training, Lesotho

  • Asec. Roger Masapol, Assistant Secretary for Governance and Operations – Education Governance (OASEG), DepEd, Philippines

  • Ms. Dra Claudia Yadira García, Asesora del Despacho Ministerial, Ministerio de Educación, Guatemala

12:15 – Joint Visit of School Meals Module at BMZ Booth

• Participants: Country representatives, founding members, press/media

12:30 – Public Launch End