The Deputy National Coordinator for the Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP) Secretariat, Kojo Abass Acquah has said that his outfit is working to deal with caterers' challenges in procuring foodstuffs due to a lack of funds.

Speaking to MyJoyOnline at the sidelines of the International Women’s Day event organised in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency, he revealed that the GSFP is seeking to bring on board the Japan International Cooperation Agency, JICA, to pre-fund the purchases of goods.

Mr Acquah explained that if the agreement becomes operational, JICA will buy the goods from farmers and hand them to the caterers at no interest.

“The (school feeding) programme is such that caterers are supposed to pre-finance but they have a challenge paying upfront when they go to the farm gates. So now we are talking with JICA, a Japanese Development Agency.”

He explained, “The aim is that they will pre-finance the caterers to get the farm produce at the farm gates and that will be cheaper. So JICA will buy from the farmers, give it to them (the caterers) and then when we are paying them, we deduct whatever pre-finance and pay JICA at no interest to the caterer.”

Mr Acquah said that this will not only help caterers in terms of funding but also ensure they get enough food produce to prepare balanced meals to feed the children in the various institutions.

This comes after school feeding caterers in the past few months bemoaned the lack of funding and increased cost of foodstuff and how they are affecting their output.

In January 2023, some caterers threatened to suspend their services, noting that not only were their arrears unpaid, but the increase in prices was also affecting the purchase of goods.

They complained that the government had failed to raise the feeding fee to GHȼ3 per pupil, up from 97 pesewas, a situation which was affecting their ability to consistently provide a balanced meal.

Meanwhile, Mr Acquah believes that with JICA coming on board, many of the woes of caterers in terms of purchasing goods will reduce especially in times of increased prices.

He added that the training will ensure that caterers make great use of the products purchased for their work.