School gardening and nutrition programme, EduPlant, feeds SA’s learners, families and communities
Tackling household food security in South Africa in a sustainable way requires empowering vulnerable communities with the knowledge and practical skills to grow their own food. EduPlant, the country’s largest school food security and nutrition programme run by Food & Trees for Africa (FTA) and supported by Tiger Brands, provides educators and learners nationwide with both the theoretical foundation and hands-on training to establish thriving food gardens. These gardens not only sustain each school’s nutrition programme but also enable schools to share fresh produce with surrounding communities and generate income from surplus crops.
Since 2019 when Tiger Brands became the programme’s sponsor, EduPlant has supported the establishment of food gardens at more than 1200 schools. The programme is complementary to the National School Nutrition Programme (NSNP), which Tiger Brands supports through the Tiger Brands Foundation and additional in-school breakfast programmes the business has implemented in communities where it operates.
EduPlant’s significant impact on learner education and nutrition, which is replicated in surrounding communities, was highlighted during a visit to one of the programme’s participating schools in Gauteng – Philip Kushlick School for children with special needs, based in Diepkloof, Soweto.
“As a leading force in South Africa’s food sector, we carry a profound responsibility to stand alongside vulnerable communities who face the daily struggle of food insecurity. Good nutrition is not a privilege; it is the foundation for dignity, growth, and opportunity. Through the EduPlant programme, with its focus on building self-sustaining communities, we are not only addressing immediate hunger but helping to restore hope and resilience for the future. This is how Tiger Brands lives its purpose to nourish and nurture more lives every day,” says Maanda Milubi, Director Enterprise and Supplier Development & Transformation, Tiger Brands.
EduPlant serves as an extension to the classroom. FTA facilitators provide theoretical knowledge and techniques to educators and learners, including Permaculture Concepts, Ethics and Principles, Garden Design, Soil Testing and Conditioning, and Seed Bed Preparation. This is practically workshopped and then implemented by learners at each school with the necessary gardening tools (spades, rakes, watering cans) and planting materials (seeds, seedlings and compost) provided to them.
“Working in a school garden provides a nurturing, hands-on environment that helps under-resourced children find a sense of purpose and peace, cultivating not just plants, but also resilience and confidence. Our programme is SACE accredited so educators are supported in integrating the knowledge, practically,” says Chris Wild, Executive Director of Food & Trees for Africa.
Learners are encouraged to replicate and share what they learn during the programme to establish food gardens at home and in their communities, thereby multiplying the programme’s impact.
The food garden at Philip Kushlick School for children with special needs was a finalist in the EduPlant programme competition in 2020. The programme’s focus on practical, hands-on learning fits with how children at the school learn best. Through their work in the garden, learners can develop and apply practical skills in a safe, natural setting; enhance physical dexterity and coordination; deepen their understanding of environmental management and sustainability; gain access to healthy, fresh vegetables, improving their nutrition; and create pathways to potential careers in agriculture and related fields, as well as foster independence.
In addition to EduPlant supporting the agroecology prevocational subject, the junior learners use the garden to develop tactile sensitivity with structured exercises of sand play therapy, water therapy and plant textures. Hand-eye coordination and memory skills are enhanced after their garden visits to do clay modelling exercises of plants and flowers. Each class is involved in environmental awareness programmes, especially in creating a litter-free school and water saving.
The parents of senior learners are encouraged to set up gardens at their homes to reinforce the practical skills with their children.
“The implementation of the EduPlant programme at Philip Kushlick School is a powerful example of how a school food garden can go beyond education to directly improve the lives and future prospects of its students and the broader community. The tangible improvements in the garden and harvest impact positively on the growth and development of our often marginalised and differently abled learners,” Wild.
