The IFAD-Value Chain Development Programme has launched a school vegetable gardening initiative across 10 secondary schools in Enugu State to promote nutrition education, healthy eating habits and practical agricultural skills among students.
The International Fund for Agricultural Development–Value Chain Development Programme (IFAD-VCDP) has launched a school vegetable gardening initiative in 10 secondary schools across Enugu State as part of efforts to improve nutrition awareness and healthy eating habits among students.
The programme, unveiled on Tuesday, targets selected schools in five participating local government areas under the IFAD-VCDP intervention in the state, namely Udenu, Isi-Uzo, Nkanu East, Enugu East and Aninri.
Under the initiative, students will cultivate a variety of vegetables, including tomatoes, spinach, peppers, pumpkin and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, while receiving practical training on agriculture, nutrition and food safety.
Speaking during the launch at Girls Secondary School, Trans-Ekulu, Enugu, the State Nutrition Officer of IFAD-VCDP, Mrs. Promise Ezeah, said the project was designed to deepen students’ understanding of nutrition and encourage healthy dietary practices.
According to her, the knowledge gained through the programme is expected to extend beyond the classroom, with students serving as nutrition ambassadors within their homes and communities.
“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,” Ezeah said.
She explained that nutrition and school garden clubs would be established in each beneficiary school, with members responsible for managing the gardens while acquiring hands-on agricultural skills.
Ezeah disclosed that each club would consist of about 50 students who would be provided with educational materials, including pamphlets, posters and record books to support learning and project management.
The students, she said, would be trained in agronomic practices, vegetable production, food hygiene and nutrition, while maintaining records of harvests and sales to promote accountability and sustainability.
“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.
The nutrition officer further noted that the vegetables would be grown using organic manure, particularly poultry droppings, instead of chemical fertilisers, in line with environmentally sustainable farming practices.
She recalled that IFAD-VCDP expanded its interventions beyond rice and cassava production in 2022 by integrating nutrition education into its agricultural programmes.
According to her, participants are taught the importance of combining foods from different food groups to achieve balanced diets, improve overall health and strengthen the immune system.
Ezeah said the implementation of the project would be monitored by IFAD-VCDP officials, agricultural extension officers, school principals, heads of agricultural departments and designated nutrition champions.
Also speaking, the Head of the Agricultural Department at Girls Secondary School, Trans-Ekulu, Mrs. Ngozika Nze, described the initiative as timely and relevant, especially at a time when many households rely heavily on carbohydrate-based meals.
She said the selected students would receive training and subsequently transfer the knowledge acquired to their peers 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.
She expressed optimism that the project would be sustained through seed preservation and annual vegetable cultivation cycles.
A teacher at the school, Mrs. Ruth Irem, commended IFAD-VCDP for introducing the nutrition club initiative, noting that it would encourage healthier lifestyles among students while promoting interest in agriculture.
Responding on behalf of the students, Eliana Okeke thanked IFAD-VCDP for bringing the programme to the school, describing it as an opportunity to acquire valuable agricultural knowledge and improve understanding of proper nutrition.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts by IFAD-VCDP to strengthen food security, improve nutrition outcomes and promote sustainable agricultural practices among young people in Enugu State.
Visit GMTNewsng for more news stories.