The newly elected Youth in Agriculture and Rural Development (YARD) in Ehlanzeni and the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Land and Environmental Affairs donated garden tools and vegetable seeds, and started a backyard vegetable garden at Masitakhe Secondary School in Matsulu on Thursday June 30.

This was to encourage the school’s learners to take part in agricultural activities, and also to consider agriculture as a career. The garden will not only provide the school with fresh vegetables, but is a place where the learners can practise gardening skills.

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Wrapping up Youth Month, the energetic young farmers announced that they plan similar visits to other schools in the coming months in other parts of the district.

YARD was established to give young farmers a platform to share ideas, network and exchange information on best agricultural practices. Winny Dlamini, who was appointed to look after the garden, said she is very happy that a garden was established at their school, which will allow the schoolchildren to get closer to the source of their food. “Children will have access to healthy foods and information, which is essential to provide them with the resources they need to consume a balanced, wholefoods diet.”

The Ehlanzeni YARD chairperson, Sifiso Ntuli, said they donated the garden tools in order to teach the learners and have them consider agriculture as a career, in order to become future farmers.

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“We donate tools and seedlings because we want to teach learners which tools are required to do a garden, as well as how to plant one. It is important to consider spacing, depth and types of fertiliser to use from planting until harvest. We want them to become future farmers and continue to pursue their studies in tertiary level through agriculture. This initiative will help the youth to create jobs and alleviate poverty.

“We are trying to start with those schools that have a garden on their premises, especially ones that are doing Grade 12, because they are facing challenges after matric, so we are encouraging those learners to busy themselves farming in agriculture,” he said.