India leads global school meals, feeding 118 million children daily
India operates the world’s largest school meal programme, providing food support to around 118 million children, according to global data compiled from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and national education authorities.
India operates the world’s largest school meal programme, providing food support to around 118 million children, according to global data compiled from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and national education authorities.
The figures highlight the growing role of school feeding initiatives in tackling hunger, improving child nutrition and boosting school attendance worldwide.
Data summarised by WFP show that large-scale programmes across Asia, Africa, and the Americas collectively reach hundreds of millions of students each year, with developing and emerging economies dominating the list of countries serving the most children.
India’s Midday Meal Scheme, officially known as the PM POSHAN programme, is the largest school feeding initiative globally. It provides cooked meals to primary and secondary school students in government schools nationwide.
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According to India’s Ministry of Education and WFP reports, the programme reaches approximately 118 million beneficiaries, making it the most extensive school meal system in the world.
Experts say the initiative plays a critical role in improving educational outcomes.
“School meals increase attendance, reduce malnutrition and support cognitive development,” the World Food Programme says in its global school feeding overview.
Indonesia ranks second globally, with 61.2 million total beneficiaries, including about 49 million students receiving school-only meals, according to data updated on March 3, 2026.
The Indonesian government has been expanding nutrition programmes aimed at tackling childhood stunting and improving learning outcomes.
Large-scale feeding programmes are increasingly seen as a tool to address both poverty and education challenges simultaneously.
Several major economies also operate extensive school feeding systems.
The latest WFP-linked summary shows:
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- India — 118,000,000 beneficiaries
- Indonesia — 61,239,037
- Brazil — 38,531,387
- China — 34,570,000
- United States — 30,100,000
Brazil’s National School Feeding Programme (PNAE) is widely regarded as one of the world’s most comprehensive systems, linking school meals with local agricultural supply chains.
In the United States, the National School Lunch Program, administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provides free or subsidised meals to tens of millions of children each school day.
Beyond the top five, several countries run national programmes feeding millions of students daily.
Other major programmes include:
- Russia — 18,049,000
- Egypt — 13,700,000
- Pakistan — 10,041,132
- Nigeria — 9,990,862
- France — 9,563,276
In Africa, countries such as South Africa, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya and Malawi have also scaled up school feeding programmes to address food insecurity and encourage school attendance.
Nigeria’s National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, for example, provides meals to nearly 10 million children while supporting local farmers who supply food to schools.
