February 6, 2025
THIMPHU – Starting this academic session, around 32,000 students in 300 pilot schools selected for the “One-Child, One-Egg” initiative will receive one egg per day through the school feeding programme to tackle nutritional deficiencies among school children in the country.
The director-general of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, Dr QU Dongyu and Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay launched the initiative in the capital yesterday.
For the initial phase of the pilot project, the FAO has committed USD 2 million by the first quarter of 2025, aligning with the school’s new academic year, before scaling it nationwide.
In Bhutan, malnutrition remains a significant concern, with 17.9 percent of children under five stunted, 8.7 percent underweight, and 36.5 percent of adolescent girls are anemic.
A recent study also revealed severe deficiencies in key nutrients among schoolchildren, including Vitamin D (96 percent), Folate (53 percent), and Ferritin (48 percent). These deficiencies are linked to poor nutrition, leading to delayed growth, impaired cognitive development, and weakened immunity.
Despite ongoing efforts, many children still lack access to nutritious food. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MOAL) stated that eggs, a nutrient-dense superfood rich in high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals, offer an affordable and effective solution to bridge these gaps.
Eggs are considered a superfood because they are a rich source of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals such as Vitamin D, B12, and iron— which are critical for children’s growth, cognitive function, and overall health.
Research from the FAO highlights that even modest improvements in nutrition, such as adding eggs to school meals, can yield significant long-term benefits, including enhanced immune function and improved academic performance.
The “One-Child, One-Egg” initiative was first proposed by Dr QU Dongyu during a high-level discussion with Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay at the 79th UN General Assembly.
It was formally announced at the World Food Forum 2024 in Rome, marking a major step in improving child nutrition and food security in Bhutan.
During the launch of the initiative, Dr QU Dongyu expressed the importance and significant impact of this simple yet profound approach in improving children’s nutrition, ultimately leading to productive citizens of Bhutan. “I personally came to launch this initiative myself,” Dr QU Dongyu said.
Prime Minister Dasho Tshering Tobgay assured that the fund for the initiative would be fully utilised for this cause, ensuring that children receive eggs daily and that the initiative would be a success.
Why school-going children?
According to the 2022 Multi-Dimensional Poverty Index, 20.7 percent of Bhutanese children live below the poverty line, with 25 percent falling within the 7–10 age group. For many, school meals are their primary source of nutrition.
A MOAL official said that for many of these children, school meals might be the only source of nutrition. “A significant proportion of school-going children lacked access to essential dietary products such as eggs.”
The pilot programme will focus on remote and primary schools, where children are most likely to face nutritional gaps.
Currently, Bhutan’s school feeding programme benefits 88,784 students, many of whom rely on school meals as their primary source of nutrition. Among these, 37,697 students receive three meals a day, 30,647 receive two meals, and 22,089 receive one meal.
According to the World Health Organisation, adequate nutrition, particularly the inclusion of protein and micronutrients, is linked to better learning outcomes and academic performance in children.
“Including eggs in school lunches will support the need for balanced nutrition, especially for the 22,089 students who receive only one meal a day and may face significant nutritional gaps,” the MOAL press release stated.
This initiative will be implemented by MOAL, the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Bhutan Livestock Development Corporation Limited, and farmers’ cooperatives to ensure a seamless supply chain from farm to school.
Along with the launch of this initiative, Bhutan and FAO also launched the Bhutan AgriSustain Fund yesterday.
Bhutan AgriSustain Fund is a strategic effort to transform the country’s agricultural sector. The fund aligns with Gross National Happiness principles, the FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative, and global commitments such as the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Fund will address challenges like climate change, limited market access, and human-wildlife conflicts while promoting resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability.