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FARM TO SCHOOL PROJECT. A COLLABORATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENT OF AGRIC AND GES – ASSIN FOSU

The Department of Agriculture is collaborating with the Ghana Education Service in Assin Fosu to introduce agriculture to students in the various schools in the Municipality. In all eighteen schools are participating in the project, and the selected classes are upper primary 4, 5, 6 and Junior High 1 and 2. During the visit to the schools, teachers and headmasters are expected to be present at the lecture. Schools are expected to have land for farms or gardens; containers and sacks can be used where there are no lands for the project. The project aims to help schools achieve self- sufficiency in food production, reduce their food cost and potentially generate income, as the head of schools will decide the use of the harvest. The main crops that will be cultivated are vegetables, cereals, legumes and plantain. The Department is committed to supporting school farming and promoting food security through school farm projects. 

The programme includes three areas namely;

1.Promotion of school farm or garden in schools

2. Increase food - based nutrition education (theoretical and practical lessons)

3. Opportunity to visit commercial farms (farm field trips or virtual learning)

 

WHY FARM TO SCHOOL PROJECT

  1. Farm to school ensures that all children have access to nutritious, high quality local food, helping them to be prepared to learn and grow.
  2. Farm to school activities enrich classroom education by providing hands on learning experiences related to food, nutrition, health and agriculture.
  3. To foster interest in agribusiness or entrepreneurship among the school children.

 

COMMUNITY, GOVERNMENT AND NGO SUPPORT FOR THE SCHOOL FARM PROJECT

Department of Agriculture Assin Fosu, is the sole sponsor of the school farm project. The Directorate assists with providing seeds for planting and offers technical advice. To ensure the sustainability of the project, the Department of Agric encourages support from other non-governmental institutions.

 

STUDENTS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE

Thought provoking questions asked from the students reveals their desire to participate in the school farm project.

 

CONSTRAINTS REGARDING THE SCHOOL FARM PROJECT

  1. The school curriculum is heavily loaded and some subjects must be condensed to allow the Department of Agric to engage the students. Additionally, the time allotted for each subject is very limited.
  2. All the schools lack irrigation system.
  3. Safety concerns arise from the absence of protective cloths, gloves and boots for students participating in practical gardening lessons. Furthermore, the lack of fencing in all the schools raises the possibility of significant theft of farm produce.

FARM TO SCHOOL PROJECT FACILITATORS

S/N

NAME

DESIGNATION

INSTITUTION

1.

Gifty Moore Arthur

Municipal Agric Officer - WIAD

Dept of Agric

2.

William Asante Lopez

Municipal Agric Extension officer

Dept of Agric

3.

Evelyn Aba Eyam Kededor

Welfare and community participatory officer

Ghana Education Service

 

LIST OF PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS IN FARM TO SCHOOL PROJECT

S/N

SCHOOL

DAY

DATE

1.FOSO METHODIST ‘A’

 

 
2.FOSO METHODIST ‘B’

TUESDAY

11/6/2024

3.ODUMASI PRIMARY AND JSS SCH

 

 
4.AFUTUAKWA

WEDNESDAY

12/6/2024

5.BROFOYEDU

 

 
6.RAILWAY STATION ‘A’

THURSDAY

13/6/2024

7.RAILWAY STATION ‘B’

 

 

8.AL-HUDAH

TUESDAY

18/6/2024

9.FOSCO DEMONSTRATION ‘A’

 

 

10.FOSCO DEMONSTRATION ‘B’

WEDNESDAY

19/6/2024

11.ANTOSU GIRLS MODEL JHS

 

 

12.ANTOSU ST. CECILIA/MA

THURSDAY

20/6/2024

13.FOSO ROMAN CATHOLIC ‘A’

 

 

14.FOSO ROMAN CATHOLIC ‘B’

TUESDAY

25/6/2024

15.FOSO ROMAN CATHOLIC ‘C’

WEDNESDAY

26/6/2024

16JUASO M/A PRIMARY

 

 

17.PENTECOAST PREPARATORY AND JSS SCH

THURSDAY

27/6/2024

18.WURAKESE CATHOLIC SCHOOL

THURSDAY

27/6/2024