FAO promotes school gardening in Matara

A school gardening project funded by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is being implemented in 80 selected schools in the Southern, North Central and Uva provinces, in partnership with Community Based Organizations (CBOs).

The main objective is to encourage the younger generation to learn and practice simple food production technologies at school level and to apply this knowledge in their homes, as a preliminary step to enhance household food security.

FAO launched this school gardening project to establish 80 well-maintained school gardens by the end of 2011. The initial establishment of these school gardens is expected to be completed by mid August. FAO together with the local technical experts will carry out a mid-term evaluation of this project.

As an outcome of this evaluation, the best school gardens from amongst the participating schools and winners of each cluster will be rewarded. The award ceremony will be held in parallel with events to commemorate ‘World Food Day’ on October 16. With FAO’s Innovation Fund, each participating school is given a home gardening package which includes fruit trees and vegetable seeds and tools necessary for cultivation.

Eight identified CBOs in the three provinces are responsible for distributing tools and guidance through the teacher in-charge of agriculture in each school. Each CBO will manage a cluster of 10 schools.

The first cluster of 10 schools met at Nadugala Maha Vidyalaya, Matara recently with the participation of principals, teachers in-charge of agriculture and a student from each of the participating schools.

The first cluster was facilitated by the CBO Wanasarana Thurulatha Swechcha Society’, Matara.