PHNOM PENH: Cambodia is intensifying efforts to improve child nutrition and food safety in schools as part of a broader strategy to strengthen human capital development, with education officials reporting that more than 300,000 students now benefit from school feeding programmes and nationwide measures to curb the consumption of unhealthy food and drinks on campus.
The initiative was highlighted on June 5 during the official launch of the second season of a School Food Safety Campaign and celebrations marking International Children’s Day, presided over by Minister of Education, Youth and Sports Hang Chuon Naron.
Speaking at the Phnom Penh event, Naron explained that improving nutrition among schoolchildren is essential to supporting their physical development, learning outcomes and future contribution to the country’s workforce.
He noted that the government has placed human capital development at the centre of phase one of its Pentagonal Strategy, with school health and nutrition identified as key priorities.
“The education ministry has introduced several policies to improve school health and has prohibited the sale of unsafe food products, sugary drinks and energy drinks within educational institutions,” he said.
The latest campaign, jointly organised by the ministry and Danone Cambodia under the theme “Children’s Health and Iron”, aims to raise awareness of balanced diets, food safety and the prevention of iron deficiency anaemia among children.
According to the ministry, the campaign promotes daily consumption of three essential food groups — energy-giving foods, body-building foods and protective foods — while encouraging lower intake of fat, salt and sugar.
It also seeks to improve understanding of iron-rich nutrition, vitamin C intake and the risks associated with excessive consumption of sweetened beverages.
The ministry described iron deficiency and anaemia as ongoing public health concerns that can affect children’s growth, cognitive development and academic performance.
The ministry said efforts to improve nutrition are being supported through a range of school-based interventions.
As of 2026, the government’s school feeding programme, which sources food from local farming communities, has expanded to 1,114 target schools across 10 provinces, benefiting approximately 300,000 students.
At the same time, investments in school sanitation and hygiene infrastructure have continued. The ministry reported that access to clean water has reached 88 per cent of schools nationwide, while handwashing facilities are available in 94 per cent of schools and sanitary toilets in 99 per cent.
The education sector has also worked with health authorities to provide deworming medication, vitamin A supplements and iron tablets to students, achieving coverage of more than 95 per cent across the country.
Naron called on development partners, civil society organisations and private sector actors to continue supporting efforts to improve nutrition and food safety in schools.
He said cooperation between the government and private sector demonstrates a shared commitment to improving child health and creating better opportunities for future generations.
The minister noted that strengthening awareness of balanced nutrition, monitoring anaemia and promoting safe food environments in schools would contribute to reducing iron deficiency among Cambodian children and improving educational outcomes.
The campaign builds on several years of cooperation between the ministry and Danone Cambodia, which has focused on addressing malnutrition and iron deficiency among young children.
According to the ministry, Danone provided fresh milk to children in 10 preschools in 2025 and expanded the programme to 34 model preschools in 2026.
The company has also supported the construction of a school building in Stung Bot, Oddar Meanchey province. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
