Action Health Incorporated (AHI), with funding from the MacArthur Foundation, commenced an initiative to promote accountability and prevent corruption in the Ogun State Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP). Following a series of advocacy visits and with approval from the State’s Ministry of Special Duties to implement the project, a baseline research was conducted across the project Local Government Areas (LGAs) – Ado-Odo/Ota, Ifo, Ijebu Ode and Sagamu – between the 19th and 22nd of March 2018.
The aim of the baseline research was to assess the status of the delivery of the HGSFP in the project LGAs and identify gaps in the current operational procedures of the HGSFP in the project LGAs that may require strengthening.
The activities carried out during the research were as follows:
- Meetings with the Local Government Education Area (LGEA) Education Secretaries in the 4 Project LGAs
- Brief meetings with the heads of Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and designated programme monitors
- Interviews with different stakeholders, including the LGA Officers in charge of HGSFP, Head/Health Teachers, Food Vendors, School Based Monitoring Committee (SBMC) Members, and Parents of Children in 60 schools across the project LGAs.
Some of the key challenges documented during the research exercise included administrative issues, funds disbursement and logistics issues, and low levels of community participation.
A total of 60 schools were randomly selected across Ado-Odo Ota, Ifo, Ijebu Ode and Sagamu LGAs for the survey. Data was collected using qualitative (in-depth interviews) and quantitative (semi-structured interviewer-administered questionnaires) data collection methods.