Mbabane- Learners participating in African Food Security’s Plant-to-Plate programme will receive free farming kits to establish vegetable gardens at their homes as part of a drive to strengthen household food production in Eswatini.
The United States-based organization launched the initiative at St Joseph’s Primary School, where it donated agricultural kits containing seeds, organic soil, compost, pesticides, protective clothing and basic farming tools.
African Food Security Chief Operating Officer Edward Meiring said the organisation would train learners and teachers before distributing additional Plant-to-Plate kits for use at learners’ homesteads.
“We want learners to apply what they learn at school in their own homes. They will receive free kits so they can establish gardens with their families,” Meiring said.
He said the organization would continue supporting participating schools through training, monitoring and follow-up visits to ensure the gardens are maintained.
Meiring said African Food Security was engaging local stakeholders and completing administrative processes to facilitate the importation of additional agricultural inputs as it prepares to expand the programme to more schools and communities in Eswatini.
The Plant-to-Plate programme is supported by fundraising efforts led by United States brothers Chase Kantor who is 18 years of age and Austin Kantor who is 16
Austin said the programme was designed to make farming accessible to learners through simple, practical methods.
“Plant2Plate kits are clear and easy to use, making them accessible for different learning styles,” he said.
Chase said the programme’s impact could be measured through the number of gardens established, food produced and farming skills acquired by learners.
St Joseph’s Primary School principal Ncedile Magagula-Dlamini said produce from the school garden would be used in the school’s feeding programme while exposing learners to practical agricultural skills.
During his visit to Eswatini, Meiring also toured Eswatini Coffee’s nursery and demonstration farm at Ngculwini, where he met founder Patrick Dupont to discuss the company’s farming operations and possible areas of collaboration. He also said AFS was developing a digital application to help farmers monitor crops, weather conditions and climate patterns.
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