THE PROBLEM

About 80% of Uganda’s population is employed in agriculture and lives off the land, yet there are no practical agricultural programs in primary schools that teach farming. 70% of children drop out of primary school by grade 5 and end up working in the fields. 

OUR SOLUTION

Introduce school-gardens as a practical project in partner primary schools for all grade levels. Establish school gardens in school compounds or annex land to the school and devote it to the program. 

GOAL 

To keep abreast of innovations in agriculture that would be filtered back to the home by the children (who would “teach” their parents). The program would also provide food ingredients to our signature school-feeding program. 

OPERATIONS

The foundation hired a National Agriculture Advisory Services (NAADS) specialist in 2009 to oversee the gardens projects, and engage the children in hands-on learning about crops, soil, climate and the environment. Parents soon began attending some sessions at some of the schools.

RESULTS

Increased knowledge of modern agricultural production technologies and practices for use in sowing, harvesting and post-harvest activities in our beneficiaries homes.