Title:
IMPACT OF SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME ON CROP PRODUCTION IN GOMBE, NORTH EASTERN NIGERIA

Authors:
Appollm Y .I and Braima Daniel ,Nigeria

Abstract:
The school feeding programme is essential to provide a balanced diet to school children which in turn enable the children to increase their attention span and enhance better academic achievement and also improved crop production. The purpose of this study was to see the impact of school feeding programme on crop production in Gombe metropolis. The objectives was to describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, assess the impact of school feeding programme on crop production and assess the importance of school feeding programme. Teachers and pupils were the target population of the study. 150 questionnaires were distributed to them in the fifteen sampled schools in Gombe metropolis. Four point rating scale questionnaire was used and statistical tool employed was descriptive statistics. The result revealed that majority of the respondents 99(66.0%) were males, 79(52.7%) age ranged between 31 – 40 years, 94(62.7%) were married, 146(97.3%) had formal type of education. The result also revealed that school feeding program enhance local food production and boost income of farmers with a mean of (3.5), food vendors are fully integrated in the program through which local farmers provide them with the necessary local materials for the meals with a mean of (2.3), school feeding program increased enrolment, attendance and pupils’ retention in schools with a mean of (3.8) and school feeding program makes smooth and effective classroom management with a mean of (2.6). It was recommended that; ministry of education should review the school feeding program continuously and extend it in schools in poverty ridden areas, the ministry should mandate the vendors to buy food stuffs such as rice, beans, meat, egg, fish, and vegetables directly from local farmers in other to increase the impact made so far. Also it is important to include local producers and schools in the decision making process on the type of food needed for the programme.