The United Nations Food Programme (WFP) and Yeremyan Projects signed a cooperation agreement within the framework of the “Milk in Schools” project.

WFP said in a news release that in collaboration with Yeremyan Projects, they will implement the “Milk in schools” pilot project in Vayots Dzor region from January to December 2023. Around 350 schoolchildren from 5th to 8th grades of Jermuk Gorky No. 1 and Yeghegnadzor No. 1 schools of Vayots Dzor are engaged in the project and will receive a glass of milk in the morning for a healthy start of the day.

“WFP appreciates the important partnership with Yeremyan projects to address nutrition and behavior change issues in Armenia.  Thanks to this public-private partnership and the company’s corporate social responsibility, we give an opportunity for the children of Armenia to build healthy dietary habits and improve learning abilities,” says Nanna Skau, WFP Armenia Officer-in-Charge.

“Since the first day of our agricultural activity, we have been carrying out public awareness campaigns, trying to form a new culture of milk consumption. Although many people are aware of the nutritious benefits of milk, unfortunately, today it is not a part of our eating culture. I am glad, that we share the same vision with our partner, the UN World Food Programme in terms of promoting the consumption of milk as a healthy drink among children and adults in Armenia. The “Milk in Schools” project is very welcomed from the perspective of forming positive milk drinking habits and behavior changes. We are willing to support the realization of this pilot project and hope it will become a successful and contagious example and that milk will become a part of both the school and everyday diet,” says the Director General of the organization, Davit Yeremyan.

WFP will implement this initiative and will further evaluate the behavioral changes of children at the end of the project based on indicators of increased milk consumption and reduced consumption of sugary drinks.

Milk will be supplied to schools by Yeremyan Projects free of charge. Since 2019 the company developed and implemented a production based on the ‘seed to table’ approach, which is one of the most important elements of WFP’s national food security strategy.

The “Milk in schools” project will be accompanied by a public campaign with the slogan “Milk is love, strength, and health”․ The campaign aims to promote milk consumption as part of a healthy breakfast among children and adults in Armenia. This is to reduce the consumption of unhealthy drinks such as sweet tea, juices, soft drinks, and energy drinks and create a demand for milk and position it as a choice for healthy lifestyle.

The rationale behind the “Milk in Schools” project is that milk consumption by children during their important developmental period will promote growth and nutrition, create positive habits for milk consumption, and reduce morning hunger before school meals, which in turn will improve concentration and learning abilities in the classroom and will reduce the desire to eat unhealthy snacks.