To encourage children to learn more about food and farming, Dr. Nonye Soludo, the wife of the Anambra State Governor, launched an organic garden competition for secondary schools in Anambra on Saturday.
Addressing Healthy Living Teacher Ambassadors in Awka, Mrs. Soludo explained that the competition aims to teach children the importance of food and farming, and its impact on their lives.
She described organic farming as a process that uses natural food sources and nutrients, without fertilizers or other chemicals.
“This competition is part of the Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo Campaign,” she said. “It aims to achieve a culture of health consciousness, drive organic agriculture with an emphasis on food safety and sustainable living.”
“It will help our students learn valuable lessons about where their food comes from, the benefits of eating fresh and healthy foods, and how to care for the environment,” Mrs. Soludo continued.
“Vegetable seeds will be distributed to the schools,” she added. “At the end of every term, schools with the three best gardens will be rewarded.”
“Our children at a young age will start to appreciate agriculture as an essential way of life,” Mrs. Soludo emphasized.
“They will also understand the need to be part of building solutions that foster healthy foods in society.”
Also speaking, Dr. Afam Obidike, the state’s Commissioner for Health, also spoke at the event. He said the schools’ garden competition would increase students’ knowledge about the nutritional value of foods.
In her remarks, Prof. Nkechi Ikediugwu, Chairperson of the Post Primary Schools Service Commission, said that schools in the state would offer a Health Living lecture every Wednesday after break. This initiative aims to help students learn how to be healthy and grow into healthy adults.
AgroNigeria gathered that the program reportedly featured the distribution of okro, carrot, pepper, tomato, watermelon, and cucumber seeds to school teachers to begin developing their school gardens.
