IFAD-VCDP launches vegetable farming in Enugu secondary schools

The International Fund for Agricultural Development–Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) on Tuesday launched a school vegetable gardening initiative in 10 secondary schools to improve students’ nutrition in Enugu State.

The report states that two schools were selected from each of the five Local Government Areas currently participating in the IFAD-VCDP programme in the state.

The Local Government Areas were Udenu, Isi-Uzo, Nkanu East, Enugu East and Aninri.

The farming programme involved the cultivation of various vegetables including tomatoes, spinach, peppers, pumpkin and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes among others.

The State Nutrition Officer, IFAD-VCDP, Mrs Promise Ezeah, who spoke during the launch of the programme at the Girls Secondary School, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu, said the initiative was designed to improve students’ understanding of nutrition and healthy eating habits.

According to her, the programme will enable students to transfer the knowledge acquired from the school gardens to their families and communities.

Ezeah said, “We want to improve the knowledge of students on nutrition.

“These students come from different homes, and we expect them to take the knowledge they gain here back to their households and neighbours.

“We are establishing nutrition and school garden clubs in the beneficiary schools. The club members will be responsible for maintaining the gardens and learning practical agricultural skills”.

The nutrition officer explained that each nutrition club would comprise about 50 students who would receive training materials, including pamphlets, posters and record books.

She said the students would be taught agronomic practices, vegetable production, food hygiene and nutrition, while records would be kept for harvests and sales to ensure sustainability of the project.

“Our aim is for the programme to continue beyond this year. The students can preserve seeds, generate income from sales and use the proceeds for future cultivation,” she added.

Ezeah noted that the vegetables would be cultivated using organic manure, particularly poultry droppings, instead of chemical fertilisers.

She explained that IFAD-VCDP expanded its intervention beyond rice and cassava production in 2022 by integrating nutrition education into its agricultural activities.

According to her, the programme teaches participants the importance of combining foods from different food groups to achieve a balanced diet and strengthen the immune system.

She said that IFAD-VCDP officials, agricultural officers, school principals, heads of agricultural departments and designated nutrition champions would monitor implementation of the project.

On her part, Mrs Ngozika Nze, Head, Agricultural Department at the school, described the initiative as timely, noting that many families currently relied heavily on carbohydrate-based diets.

She said that the selected students would receive training and subsequently cascade the knowledge gained to other students and members of their communities.

“This project will teach us how to combine foods properly and achieve balanced nutrition. The students will learn, teach others and help spread awareness within their communities,” Nze said.

Nze expressed confidence that the project would be sustained through seed preservation and annual cultivation of vegetables.

Also speaking, a teacher in the school, Mrs Ruth Irem, commended IFAD-VCDP for introducing the nutrition club initiative.

She said the project would encourage healthy eating habits among students and inspire greater interest in agriculture.

Responding on behalf of the students, Eliana Okeke, expressed appreciation to IFAD-VCDP for bringing the programme to the school.

She said participation in the nutrition club would improve students’ agricultural knowledge and help boost their understanding of healthy nutrition.