By Henry Anagboso
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)-assisted Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) in Anambra has established school gardens and nutrition clubs across participating local government areas to promote nutrition-sensitive agriculture among students.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening nutrition awareness at the grassroots and encouraging the adoption of good agricultural practices in schools, with the expectation that the model will be replicated beyond the programmes intervention communities.
The State Programme Coordinator of IFAD-VCDP in Anambra, Dr. Deborah Onyefulu, disclosed this on July 7, during the inauguration of a nutritionclub and a farm demonstration at Uga Girls’ High School in Aguata Local Government Area.
Represented by the Nutrition Officer, Mrs. Chinwe Ekwelie, Onyefulu said the school gardens would be supported with improved cassava stems and other crop seedlings to enhance food production and nutrition education among students.
She said schools have a strategic role in promoting the programmes nuqtrition, objectives while stimulating students’ interest in agriculture from an early age.
According to her, the programme will regularly monitor the gardens to ensure adherence to good agricultural practices and achieve the desired outcomes, noting that nutrition remains one of the key mainstreaming components of the VCDP.
Ekwelie said the establishment of school gardens was ongoing across the programmes nine participating local government areas, adding that Uga Girls’ High School, St. Paul’s Academy Secondary School, Achalla, Madonna Secondary School, Umunze, St. Peter’s Secondary School, Achina, and Community Secondary School, Mgbakwu, had already recorded active student participation.
She added that the initiative would be expanded to accommodate more schools across the state to achieve a wider impact on nutrition education and agricultural development.
Henry Anagboso is of the Ministry of Information and Value Reformation, Anambra State
