Objective: Provide assistance for the installation of 21 school gardens and two hydroponic crops and their use for educational purposes and diversification of the school canteen system.
Key partners: The Ministry of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFOP), the World Food Program (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Beneficiaries reached: 1,266 children and 50 teachers.
Activities implemented:
Distribution of 3.5 kg of vegetable seeds (aubergine, melon, watermelon, pepper and tomato), 1 kg of fodder seeds (sorghum), two drip systems and a honeycomb tray for germination to each beneficiary school.
Establishment of 21 school gardens in rural schools benefiting 1,266 schoolchildren (girls and boys) and 50 adults, including school principals and teachers who supported the project. Installation of two hydroponic systems within the rural school of Nagad, accompanied by the supply of a 5,000 liter tank, organic fertilizers, germination substrates and the setting up of a greenhouse.
Delivery of six practical training sessions in targeted schools for schoolchildren and 50 teachers on topics related to crop management, namely: (i) soil fertility and preparation; (ii) sprouting; (iii) transplanting; (iv) organic fertilization; (v) harvesting; (vi) natural control of plant diseases; (vii) improved production of fodder crops; and, (viii) the practice of drip irrigation for good water management.
Impact: Increased availability of fresh vegetables to improve food security and nutrition of school children through the establishment of school gardens. Capacity building for students and teaching staff and development of new agricultural techniques, particularly within the school garden of the Nagad school which houses the developed and integrated hydroponic systems, namely the nutrient film system and the fertigation system. Raising the awareness of schoolchildren and teachers in the management of associated crops and the drip irrigation technique, thanks to the provision of practical in-situ training during the school year.
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations