Four Eastern Cape schools have been selected as finalists in the annual National EduPlant School Gardening Competition 2023.
Elufefeni Primary School and Mfesane Senior Secondary School in Motherwell, Gqeberha, Sidakeni Primary School in Lady Frere, and St Colmcille Secondary School in Kirkwood, will compete against 32 other schools from across the country for the top three places, and nine winning provincial schools, as well as a “Fan Favourite”.
EduPlant is South Africa’s national school nutrition and food security programme. Initiated in 1994 and implemented by Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), EduPlant has been supported by Tiger Brands since 2019.
The four finalist Eastern Cape food gardens are part of 300 schools across the country on-boarded as EduPlant participants – at the start of 2022. They have since received extensive training in permaculture practices to assist them in growing their own vegetables, fruit, and herbs.
The produce is harvested and served as part of the schools’ learner feeding programme. Any surplus crops are shared by the school with surrounding communities.
“These finalists showcase how gardens function as outdoor classrooms, they become a tool for garden-based learning and education,” says Bharathi Tugh, manager of EduPlant at Food & Trees for Africa.
“The focus of our school-based production sites is agriculture, natural sciences, and nutrition. We are so pleased to collaborate with Tiger Brands on this for five years running.”
In many instances, learners and educators transfer their newly-acquired subsistence agriculture skills and knowledge to surrounding community members, who in turn have created their own food gardens to meet the nutrition needs of their families and to generate a small income for themselves.
“Tiger Brands is extremely proud of the commitment and dedication displayed by the finalist provincial schools to improve food security amongst learners and their surrounding communities in a sustainable manner.
“The power of the EduPlant initiative is that it empowers young people to take charge of their nutritional needs and to pass their newfound knowledge onto those around them,” says Lulu Khumalo, Corporate Affairs director, Tiger Brands.
Finalist schools will be judged on their ability to apply permaculture and environmental ethics learnt in participatory, interactive workshops.
In shortlisting the best, the question will be asked whether they:
- Promote food sovereignty, healthy lifestyles, and basic sustainability practices
- Enhance education through garden curriculum integration
- Manifest skills transfer (theory and practical)
- Make their garden design apparent
- Show that they have learnt project management through activity schedules and development plans
Final winners will be announced on Tuesday, October 31, 2023.
