School Feeding Programs in Developing Countries: An Analysis of Actual and Potential Impact. AID Evaluation Special Study No. 30

Reviewed are empirical studies of relationships among school feeding programs (SFPs), school attendance, enrollment, cognitive development, and academic performance. Recommendations for SFP design are specified. An agenda for a systematic operations research project on the influence of SFPs on these variables and on nutritional status is described. A brief introductory section discusses the background and assumptions of the study. Section 2, which focuses on school attendance and enrollment, reviews retrospective analysis, comparative, and noncomparative studies, as well as studies that identify determinants of school attendance and enrollment, and other relevant studies. Section 3 reviews studies on the relationship between diet and cognitive development, and between SFP participation and cognitive development in developing and industrialized countries. Studies on short- and long-term behavioral effects are also covered. Each study is reviewed in terms of its findings and methodology for the purpose of identifying implications for the design of SFPs and for future research. Section 4 identifies approaches that maximize the educational impact of Agency for International Development-supported school feeding programs. Section 5 outlines an operations research project on the impact of SFPs. (RH)