Call for Proposals: Implementation of Home-Grown School Feeding Activities (Kyrgyzstan)

Deadline: 15-Feb-2026

The World Food Programme (WFP) is offering grants in the Kyrgyz Republic to support school nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and rural women’s empowerment. Projects link local farmers to schools, strengthen smallholder cooperatives, and enhance community nutrition, gender equality, and agricultural skills. Funding targets multiple regions, including Batken, Chuyskaya Oblast, Osh, Naryn, Jalal-Abad, and Bishkek.

Program Overview

The WFP Grant Program aims to enhance local food systems, improve nutrition, and empower rural communities in Kyrgyzstan. By integrating school feeding programs with smallholder agricultural support and women’s economic empowerment, the initiative addresses food security, sustainable farming, and community resilience.

Key Focus Areas

1. School Nutrition & Education

   • Home-grown school feeding programs

   • Capacity building for school farm managers and staff

   • Soil conservation and establishment of school gardens (indoor and outdoor)

   • Annual workshops for best-practice exchange and yearly planning

   • Linkages between schools and local farmer cooperatives

2. Sustainable Agriculture & Smallholder Support

   • Training in climate-smart agriculture and post-harvest management

   • Knowledge sharing within smallholder communities

   • Support for 25 agricultural cooperatives in leadership, financial management, strategic planning, marketing, and entrepreneurship

   • Provision of essential office equipment

3. Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment

   • Cooperative support (e.g., Jany-Jol Asyldary)

   • Access to high-quality seeds and greenhouse training

   • Post-harvest management, soil analysis, and compost production

   • Skills development to reduce food loss, improve production quality, and strengthen administrative capacity

Geographic Coverage

• Regions: Batken, Chuyskaya Oblast, Osh, Naryn, Jalal-Abad

• Urban Center: Bishkek

Who is Eligible?

• Smallholder farmer cooperatives

• School management teams and staff

• Rural women’s groups linked to cooperatives

• Community organizations involved in agricultural development and nutrition programs

Why It Matters

• Enhances food security by linking schools and local farmers

• Promotes gender equality and women’s empowerment in rural areas

• Improves agricultural skills and sustainable practices among smallholders

• Strengthens local institutions and capacity for community nutrition and education programs

How to Apply / How It Works

1. Eligibility Confirmation: Verify that your cooperative, school, or community group aligns with WFP requirements

2. Proposal Development: Include project description, target locations, expected outcomes, and capacity-building plans

3. Submit Application: Follow WFP submission guidelines for grants

4. Evaluation: Proposals assessed on:

   • Alignment with school nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and women’s empowerment objectives

   • Feasibility and scalability of activities

   • Potential community impact and gender inclusion

5. Grant Award: Selected projects receive funding and technical support for implementation

6. Implementation & Monitoring: Activities tracked for nutrition improvement, agricultural outcomes, and empowerment metrics

Tips and Best Practices

• Clearly link farmers’ cooperatives with schools for sustainable school feeding

• Emphasize gender-sensitive approaches and empowerment of rural women

• Include measurable outputs for nutrition, production quality, and capacity building

• Highlight climate-smart and sustainable agriculture practices

• Demonstrate community engagement and knowledge transfer

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Who can apply? Smallholder farmer cooperatives, school teams, rural women’s groups, and community organizations in targeted regions.
2. Which regions are covered? Batken, Chuyskaya Oblast, Osh, Naryn, Jalal-Abad, and Bishkek.
3. What are the focus areas? School nutrition, sustainable agriculture, and rural women’s economic empowerment.
4. What outputs are expected? Trained school staff, climate-smart farmers, functional school gardens, and empowered women’s cooperatives.
5. Are gender and inclusion priorities? Yes, projects should strengthen women’s participation and community equality.
6. Does the program include capacity building? Yes, for school staff, farmers, and cooperative management.
7. How are projects monitored? Through WFP-supported workshops, progress reporting, and impact assessments on nutrition and agricultural outputs.

Conclusion

The WFP Grant Program in Kyrgyzstan empowers communities by linking schools with local farmers, promoting sustainable agriculture, and supporting rural women’s economic development. By combining nutrition, education, and agricultural training, the initiative strengthens local food systems, promotes gender equality, and builds resilient, empowered rural communities.

For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.