Schools in the Lowveld will benefit from the EduPlant Programme, an initiative of Food & Trees for Africa.
The programme, in partnership with Tiger Brands, will provide free meals to learners through the National School Nutrition Programme.
EduPlant’s programme co-ordinator, Nosiphelo Nkani, said this initiative aims to provide schools with the tools, training and educational materials to grow their own gardens to ensure the children are able to supplement their nutritional needs with fresh produce.

ALSO READ: Pockets picked at big game

“Three hundred more schools were inducted as official EduPlant schools, with the overall objective to develop a variety of skills and to ensure the EduPlant Programme plays a vital role in empowering schools and communities to improve their livelihood while ensuring schoolgoing children have nutritious and healthy meals every day,” she said. “Successful food gardens can be income-generating sites too.”

ALSO READ: University of Mpumalanga launches indigenous games initiative

Preeya Naidu, the social transformation manager of Tiger Brands, said the organisation decided to partner with the EduPlant Programme as its efforts to provide nutritious meals to learners are aligned with the company’s long-running support of the National School Nutrition Programme through the Tiger Brands Foundation.

“As a food producer, Tiger Brands is in a position to help address the growing challenge of hunger in vulnerable communities across South Africa. However, it’s more than just providing what we have, it is using our available resources to implement initiatives and partner with like-minded organisations, such as Food & Trees for Africa, to equip and empower people to support their own nutritional needs in a sustainable manner,” said Naidu.
The impact of the programme is measured by the change of attitude in environmental awareness, increased knowledge and skills for growing food sustainably, and the integration of growing gardens in the curriculum.