The School Food Garden Competition started in 2005/06 as an initiative of the MEC for Education and the competition was launched in 2005 at Pescodia High School in Kimberley. All schools that are beneficiaries to the School Food Security Programme were invited to the event. For the 2006 Provincial School Food Garden Competition 3 additional sponsors joined the competition namely: GWIC, Karsten Farms and ADRA. The purpose of the competition is to integrate food production into the curriculum, promote food production in schools and to encourage schools to work closely with communities, the youth and major stakeholders e.g. Learners, educators and parents. In so doing learners acquire and develop their skills in food production.
The key partners in this project are ABSA: R100 000 prize money for the provincial competition, Agriculture: Rl00 000 in starter packs for all entrants of the provincial competition, Department of Education: R440 000 for 44 schools across the province assisted with garden equipments worth RI0 000 each, Department of Social Services: R300 000 prize money for the Frances Baardt and Namaqua District and Provincial prize money, Karsten Farms: R72 500 for the Siyanda district competition prize money and the prize giving function, GWK: R72 500 for the Pixley ka Seme District competition prize money and ADRA: 20 Eco cycle irrigation systems for the 20 consolation prizes for top 5 schools in all 4 districts.
As mentioned Karsten Farms sponsors the prize Money for the Siyanda District Competition which is R 72 500 each year for the past two years. We also want to assist schools in the vicinity of Karsten Farms with technical support and aid in extending the school garden. We also form part of the monitoring and evaluation process where Bekkie assisted us.
Preparatory workshops are held annually across the province. The purpose of these workshops is to prepare schools for the competition on the importance of sustainable food production in schools, soil preparation, planting methods, organic pest control measures, waste management, water management, recycling, planting calendar, seed and seedling handling and curriculum integration with the garden.
In 2005 / 06, 43 schools entered for the competition. In 2006/07, 59 schools of 380 schools entered the competition and this year 23 schools entered the competition.
Monitoring and evaluation is done on site.
The provincial Gala is held where the top 12 from the four districts were competing for the top 3 in the Northern Cape Province. One of the provincial winners last year was Uitsig Primary School from the Syanda District sponsored by Karsten Farms. This year’s provincial Gala will still be held. The prize money for the provincial competition was R I00 000, awarded as 1 st Prize: R 50 000, 2 nd Prize: R30 000 and 3 rd Prize: R20 000. Consolation prizes of eco cycle irrigation systems are awarded to the top 5 schools after the top 3 in each district, in total 20 consolation prizes are given out to 20 schools in all districts. Both electronic and print media covered the competition on the day of the Provincial and Districts Prize Giving Galas (SABC, DFA, Gemsbok, Volksblad and Township). The competition has been placed on the web site of the Northern Cape Education Department.
The expected outcomes are that learners must know how to grow plants in a safe and sustainable way, must know how to start and manage their own successful gardens. They must develop environmental awareness and understanding, respect for nature, and natural resource management. Learners will acquire the following skills: Planning, decision making, collaborating, taking responsibility, explaining, Business Skills, Entrepreneurship and the persuasion of food production initiatives.
In the monitoring and evaluation process they must show initiative and show kills in soil preparation, properly preparation of seed, types of vegetables planted, the usage of fertilizers, controlling of pests and how do they save water. Learners must be fully involved, must understand what they are doing and why, get the community / youth involved, sustain their food garden and utilise the harvest properly.
The challenges faced are a lack of resources in most schools i.e. Irrigation Systems, Nets, Fence, Gate, water etc., vast distances of schools, integrating the School Food Garden into the Curriculum, poor maintenance of food gardens during school holidays and weekends and vandalism.
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