Does your school have the best permaculture garden in South Africa?

Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA), in partnership with Tiger Brands and Woolworths, is searching for the best permaculture school garden in South Africa.

According to The Spruce, permaculture gardening means “permanent agriculture” and it is defined as working with natural forces—the wind, the sun, and water—to provide food, shelter, water, and everything else your garden needs besides plants and seeds.

The EduPlant programme, run by FTFA since 1994, is the country’s longest running school greening and gardening programme. More than a quarter of school-aged children in South Africa are stunted and malnourished, and school food gardens are an important way for children to get the nutrition they need to thrive. EduPlant has brought school gardens to thousands of schools. The finalists of its “Best permaculture garden competition 2020” will be announced on World Food Day, 16 October.

Endorsed by the Department of Basic Education’s National School Nutrition Programme, EduPlant offers schools in under-resourced communities and townships the resources; training and support they need to develop or improve their food gardens. EduPlant is now looking for the best school garden. The EduPlant programme has been running competitions since 1994, which bring together the best food-growing schools in the country for a week-long event to incentivise and further develop gardens at the best performing-schools. Schools will be required to submit videos and photos highlighting their permaculture garden for the coveted title of best permaculture garden in the country.

Teachers and learners say that the effects of this programme extend beyond school fences. “We appreciate what EduPlant is doing. It also plays a role in our communities and encourages learners to have their own gardens at home. It teaches us low-cost ways of having a sustainable garden,”say teachers from Banana Primary School in Limpopo.

Programme coordinator, Tshepiso Senetla says: “The EduPlant School Gardening and Nutrition Programme is the epitome of resilience. Over the past years, EduPlant has empowered thousands of schools and communities to grow their own food in a sustainable way.”

For FTFA food Programmes Manager Robyn Hills, EduPlant is also vital for sharing and retaining indigenous knowledge: “EduPlant and school gardens specifically hold an enormous amount of indigenous knowledge,” she says. “People share seeds and techniques for growing, for drying and storing vegetables. We find that schools whose gardens incorporate community support also have better relationships with their neighbours. You can imagine why – if your immediate community is invested in the school grounds, it reduces negligence, truancy and vandalism. Fresh, naturally grown herbs and veggies are so important; they should be and can be available to all.”

The winners of the EduPlant competition will be announced at the end of October.

For more information contact Senetla at 011 656 9802 or tshepiso@trees.org.za. You can also visit their website at https://trees.org.za.