Satellite transmitters monitor school feeding

The World Food Programme (WFP) in Malawi will monitor the progress of its school feeding programmes in 12 pilot sites via satellite. Twelve satellite transmitters have been installed in schools in the central Dedza district to ensure the faster collection of data and act as an early warning system, especially during the rainy season and in remote areas, Giles Enticknap, WFP programme assistant for school feeding in Malawi, told IRIN on Wednesday. "It would provide information on where (food) deliveries have been made and monitor the distribution of commodities for forward planning," he explained. The devices, which operate on five-year batteries, are installed in protective boxes and operated by teachers. They contain a monitor with prompts to enter information like enrolment figures and ration sizes on the keypad. The information is relayed to a global satellite network and then downloaded via a private company in France to a WFP website for analysis by staffers. The system is currently being used in countries in South America and Asia, as well as in Sudan where it takes 15 hours for field workers to reach some schools. Plans are afoot to install up to 75 of the devices. Malawi's school feeding programmes, considered an important factor particularly in keeping girls in school, currently reach about 160,000 children in eight districts.