School Gardens
School gardens offer children the opportunity to grow fruits and vegetables, and learn firsthand about different foods; it is also a way to teach about sustainable agriculture, ecology, the origin of food, and respect for living systems. School gardens are important for
- Nutrition and food security
Fresh food from the garden improves the nutritional value of school meals. Gardening techniques learnt at school can be replicated at home, i.e. in the household gardens or family farms hence improving household nutrition and food security in the home.
- Education
Children have the opportunity to gain practical experience in producing, harvesting, processing and preparing food, to learn about ecology and natural resource management. In a team, children learn to work together and share responsibilities. If garden products are sold, children can also learn about money management and book keeping.
