School gardens promote food security in Soweto

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

 

By Olwetu Gwanya

Students in Soweto and other locations in South Africa are learning how to boost food security in their communities by running food gardens.

One of the schools in the gardening programme, Zifuneleni Junior Secondary School in Orlando East, Soweto, has won a food security and nutrition competition for its efforts.

 

  

The gardening initiative supported by World Vision South Africa in collaboration with Kentucky Fried Chicken and the World Food Programme is aimed at alleviating poverty in Soweto.

 

“Poverty is one of the biggest challenges we are faced with as a country, and investment in agriculture can bring about a solution,” said Stanley Maphosa, World Vision’s regional operations manager in South Africa.

 

Zifuneleni Junior Secondary School students established a food garden two years ago with the support of community members and teachers. They produce a range of vegetables at the garden to supplement a school feeding scheme. Schools in Limpopo and Western Cape provinces have also established similar student-run food gardens.

The gardening programme has also established drop-in centres for orphans, vulnerable children and chronically ill patients. Households with orphans and vulnerable children receive seedlings, fruit trees and gardening tools.

The programme has trained both parents and children on the basics of food security, nutrition, soil, water, pets management, garden space management and food processing.

World Vision works to ensure that South African children never go to school or bed hungry. Maphosa said encouraging people to make use of their hands and land instead of buying everything is an important step towards food security.

The gardening programme does not only train people to plant a good harvest, but also on the best ways to prepare the food and maintain the nutrients needed by the body, especially among children.