This paper reviews a smallcommunity-based school feeding program launched in Togo inresponse to the 2007/08 food price crisis. The discussionfocuses on the operational and policy lessons emerging fromthe program, to better understand opportunities for scale upand sustainability in the future. A focus of the discussionis how to build safety nets in fragile states and insituations where there is weak and fragmented governmentcapacity to deliver services to disadvantaged and vulnerablecommunities. In this context school feeding is explored asan entry point through the use of informal mechanisms basedon the commitment of communities and civil society. Theanalysis is premised on quantitative and qualitativeanalysis carried out at program sites. The discussionidentifies the operational challenges and opportunities incustomizing school feeding within Togo with an emphasis ontargeting, cost effectiveness, procurement and institutionalaspects. Evidence on the economic and social benefits of theprogram is also presented, focusing on dietary impacts, aswell as household and local community effects. The objectiveof the discussion is to share lessons learned fromevaluation findings so that they can be useful forimplementing similar programs in the future in Togo itselfor in other countries. Findings from the analysis highlightthe possibilities of implementing school feeding in a lowcapacity setting and the scope for using the program as aspringboard towards a broader and more comprehensive socialsafety net.
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