The Vihiga government is set to launch a soya premix school feeding programme in March, aimed at improving nutrition among young learners.
The initiative is a partnership between the county and Sustainable Organic Farming and Development Initiatives and will be rolled out across all Early Childhood Development Education centres.
The programme is expected to benefit thousands of learners by enhancing their nutrition while also supporting community-based agricultural initiatives.
“The soya premix feeding programme is a strategic investment in the health, growth and overall development of our young learners,” Vihiga education executive Anne Desma said.
“Proper nutrition at this stage lays the foundation for better learning outcomes, higher school attendance, and holistic child development.”
She added that the soya premix has been carefully formulated to address nutritional gaps among young children while promoting overall health and wellbeing.
Programme implementers stressed that good nutrition is essential for ECDE learners, as it supports optimal physical and cognitive growth, improves academic performance, increases school attendance and encourages active participation in co-curricular activities.
Beyond its impact on learners, the programme is expected to generate wider socioeconomic benefits.
By sourcing soya locally, it will increase the availability of the crop and promote awareness of soya as a high-value, nutrient-rich and soil-enriching plant.
Agricultural experts said that soya farming supports sustainable agriculture by enhancing soil fertility, breaking pest cycles through crop rotation and reducing over-reliance on conventional crops. These practices align with the county’s broader climate-smart farming initiatives.
Local farmers are also expected to benefit economically through increased soya production and improved access to markets created by the school feeding programme.
“By sourcing soya locally, this initiative will empower small-scale farmers like us, boost household incomes and strengthen community food security,” Evans Kaniri, a soya farmer, said.
