This year, 60 finalists have been selected from a total of 400 school entries from across the country. A shortlist of 280 schools was visited by the Food & Trees for Africa Ecopreneurs who assessed each project on the ground and selected the finalists.
From 6-9 October, three learners and one educator from 60 schools will be treated to three days of fun, workshops and great learning opportunities. The finalist schools will present their projects to a panel of judges displaying their produce. The judging panel consists of permaculture specialists, and prizes will be awarded at a gala event taking place on the final night.
The EduPlant program was started more than 20 years ago to encourage and empower school groups to start their own permaculture food gardens and greening projects. Today it is the leading school food gardening and greening program that provides educator and community workshops and educational materials. It also includes a competition element which runs over two years.
This innovative concept provides life skills and practical hands on learning to school learners, teaching them how to address their nutritional needs as well as those of the surrounding communities. It was founded by FTFA and supported by The Woolworths Trust and Engen.
"It is our intention to plant seeds, not only into the earth but also into the hearts and minds of the children who are the future of our country and who are future leaders we can be proud of," says Jeunesse Park, Founder: FTFA. "The competition provides a wonderful way to acknowledge and reward schools that have achieved great things and gone the extra mile to bring about positive change in their communities."
"As South Africa's leading food retailer, food security is high on our agenda so it is encouraging to see South African schools taking action to improve food security in their communities by developing sustainable permaculture food gardens," says Zinzi Mgolodela, Head of Transformation at Woolworths. "We have been funding the EduPlant program for well over 10 years so we have seen the benefits of the program as these schools have become hubs of environmental awareness, sustainable living and nutritional knowledge, and most importantly resources of good food. Some schools gain income from the production of fruit and vegetables and involve unemployed parents and neighbours in the food gardening efforts," concludes Mgolodela.
"Engen has been a funding partner of Food & Trees for Africa since 2010, and has donated, distributed and planted trees across the country for 16 years," says Tasneem Sulaiman-Bray, GM of Corporate Affairs at Engen. "We see management of our environmental impact as a key measurement of our business performance and reporting, and an important corporate responsibility imperative."
The program begins with educators gaining practical knowledge on how to design and develop sustainable resource-efficient gardens to produce the various vegetables, herbs and fruits that will supply their schools and communities with the nutrition that they need. After several practical provincial permaculture workshops, school groups integrate their knowledge and skills with their respective curricula. The educators teach the learners, who teach the community the same skills of building a relationship with nature for a sustainable future.
With thousands of schools already participating throughout the country, and more joining each year, the EduPlant program is helping to create a new generation of eco savvy entrepreneurs. Many grow so much food that they can sell to their neighbours and local shops. In some cases this raises funds for libraries and clinics and some schools are able to feed 600 learners every day.
The winners will be announced at an award ceremony on Thursday, 9 October 2014 at the BOSCO Youth Centre in Walkerville, Johannesburg.
