The Evolution of School Meals in Cameroon: A Scoping Review of Historical Trajectories, Systemic Constraints and Lessons from East Africa

School meal programmes are increasingly recognized as one of the most effective investments in human capital development, delivering benefits across education, nutrition, social protection, agriculture, and economic development. Globally, school feeding has evolved from a welfare-oriented intervention aimed at addressing child hunger into a strategic policy instrument that supports learning outcomes, dietary quality, local food systems, gender equity, and resilience. Across Africa, there has been growing momentum towards nationally owned and sustainable school meal systems, supported by initiatives such as the School Meals Coalition and the expansion of Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) approaches. In Cameroon, school meal programmes have existed in various forms since the 1960s, yet their evolution has not been comprehensively documented. Existing evidence suggests that school feeding initiatives have historically been fragmented, geographically uneven, and heavily dependent on external partners. Despite recent policy advances, including the adoption of the National School Feeding Strategy (2025–2030), programme coverage remains limited relative to the size of the school-age population, and significant challenges persist in financing, governance, infrastructure, procurement systems, monitoring, and long-term sustainability. Furthermore, there is limited synthesis of how school meals in Cameroon have evolved over time, the factors that have shaped their development, and the lessons that can be drawn from countries that have successfully expanded national school feeding systems. This scoping review seeks to address these gaps by systematically mapping and synthesizing evidence on the historical evolution of school meals in Cameroon, identifying the systemic constraints affecting programme expansion, and examining lessons from selected East African countries, particularly Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. These countries have made notable progress in institutionalizing school feeding through stronger policy frameworks, domestic financing mechanisms, multisectoral coordination structures, and Home-Grown School Feeding models. Understanding the pathways that enabled these countries to scale and sustain school meal programmes may provide valuable insights for Cameroon and other low- and middle-income countries seeking to strengthen national systems. The review will follow the methodological framework for scoping reviews developed by Arksey and O'Malley and further refined by Levac and colleagues, in conjunction with the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and the PRISMA-ScR reporting guidelines. Evidence will be drawn from peer-reviewed literature, government reports, policy documents, programme evaluations, and grey literature from international organizations such as the World Food Programme (WFP), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). The review will synthesize evidence on the historical evolution, systemic constraints, and expansion pathways of school meals in Cameroon through lessons from East African countries. Specifically, the review seeks to: - Examine the historical evolution of school meals in Cameroon. - Explore the actors involved in the implementation of school meals in Cameroon - Identify systemic constraints affecting programme expansion. - Synthesize lessons from East African school feeding systems. - Identify policy and implementation pathways for sustainable expansion in Cameroon. The expected outcomes of this review include the development of the first comprehensive synthesis of the historical development of school meals in Cameroon, a detailed analysis of systemic barriers to programme expansion, and a comparative assessment of lessons from East African school feeding systems. The review is expected to generate evidence that can support policymakers, development partners, researchers, and programme implementers in strengthening the design, financing, governance, and sustainability of school meal programmes. It will also contribute to the broader literature on school feeding systems in Africa by highlighting how historical trajectories, institutional arrangements, and political commitment influence the development and scale-up of national school meal programmes. Ultimately, the review aims to inform ongoing efforts to operationalize the National School Feeding Strategy in Cameroon and contribute to broader discussions on how school meal programmes can be leveraged as integrated investments in education, nutrition, social protection, food systems transformation, and human capital development.