In a bid to enhance the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, the Federal Government has begun training food vendors.
The training was part of moves by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management, and Social Development to document vendors nationwide.
Team Leader for Lagos Oni Williams-Olu said the program was aimed at maintaining a safe and hygienic environment while preparing and procuring food as well as increasing school children’s enrolment.
It has been termed train-the-trainer. Two food vendors were selected from each local government, bringing the trainees to 40. The 40 vendors will train others.
Williams-Olu said: “What we are trying to do is to train the food vendors who are the custodians of securing the lives of our children by serving them quality meals. We have to put this into consideration and make sure food vendors are familiar with what it takes to give our children quality meals.
“… this is also to alleviate poverty and increase enrolment into schools and reduce malnutrition.
“The two food vendors…will then train about 20 food vendors, and we will have about 800 being trained. So, it’s like training the trainer.”
