Fifty-nine countries—of which 27 are in Africa—now back the vision of the Coalition, many with specific endorsements from their heads of state. As part of this effort, their first initiative was to establish a Research Consortium for School Health and Nutrition, with a 10-year research agenda specifically intended to oversee research that policymakers need to power up their national school meal programs and ensure their quality, effectiveness, and efficiency.

The heads of five U.N. Agencies (WFP, FAO, WHO, UNICEF, and UNESCO) have endorsed cross-sectoral approaches to strengthen school-based health interventions as part of the response for countries to build back better.