Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition (FSN Forum)

13 June, 2018, Ararat region, Armenia – The staff and pupils of Vedi secondary school where all present today at school, despite the fact that the school year is over and pupils enjoy their summer holidays. The reason was more than justified – the greenhouse gave the first harvest! There was tasty food, Armenian national dances and admiration, which was seen in everyone’s eyes.

This greenhouse is the smallest in size from the three established in Ararat marz within the framework of Russian Funded “Developing Capacity for Strengthening Food Security and Nutrition in Selected Countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia” project implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), in technical partnership with the Russian Social and Industrial Foodservice Institute (SIFI).

Compared to its size, the harvest was very rich, for which, of course, a big credit goes to the caring staff and pupils of the school.

The principal of the school Mrs. Papoyan expressed her gratitude to FAO and SIFI for the valuable work done and for the willingness and kindness to help her in realization of the dream project. “Words cannot express the feelings that I have today, and how much thankful I am to all of you for your support and input in this hard work”, she said.  “Our pupils have the chance to taste the fresh grown vegetables throughout the whole year, which will add up to their nutritional value and dietary diversity”.  

“We are happy to be here to celebrate the first harvest from the greenhouse, which is the result of dedicated work and productive cooperation of the school staff, FAO of the UN and SIFI project teams” said Ms. Zaruhi Beglaryan, National Project Coordinator of the FAO project.  “We do hope that vegetables produced in the greenhouse will help to improve diversity and fulfil nutrition requirements of schoolchildren’s diets”.

At the end of the event the pupils, teachers and all invitees tasted the fresh tomatoes which were served together with cooked buckwheat – the hot meal of the day!

Nigeria’s National Home Grown School Feeding Programme has been formally launched by the country’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at a special meeting of Federal and State ministers and school feeding stakeholders in Abuja.

The HGSF programme is part of a 500 billion Nira funded Social Investment Programme announced by the Buhari administration to tackle poverty and improve the health and education of children and other vulnerable groups. When fully realised the school feeding component of this programme aims to support States to collectively feed over 24 million school children which will make it the largest school feeding programme of its kind in Africa.