Nourishing Hawke’s Bay focused on conducting a Value for Investment (VFI) assessment for Ka Ora Ka Ako. The goal was to determine the value of investing in these initiatives by using an 8-step process developed by economist Julian King to quantify their important impacts without always relying on monetisation. From a government perspective, the Ka Ora Ka Ako programme’s investment component included the cost of administering the programme, while the value component was considered from multiple perspectives to assess both immediate and long-term impacts. The assessment also considered the integrated set of interventions as well as each individual initiative and aligned with the Treasury’s Living Standards Framework.

The Treasury’s Living Standards Framework is a New Zealand government tool for policy-making decisions that considers various factors to promote and improve the well-being and living standards of present and future generations.

Ka Ora Ka Ako was a healthy school lunches programme that aimed to reduce food insecurity by providing access to nutritious lunches to school children. However, the May 2024 budget introduced significant funding cuts to the programme, limiting its scope and impact. This reduction underscored the need for ongoing advocacy and support for food security initiatives in the community.