School gardens contribution to community development, environmental education and sustainable nutrition (TCP/BRA/3003)
 

(TCP/BRA/3003)
18 June 2007
FAO Headquarter, Rome, Italy

Participants learned about the results and conclusions of the project: "The school garden as a central point in community dynamics, environmental education and sustainable and healthy nutrition" (TCP/BRA/3003).

The following topics were addressed:

  • integrated education of students and the surrounding communities through school gardens;
  • organizing the school community through management teams;
  • participatory process of preparation and validation of three teacher manuals;
  • capacity building activities for teachers, farmers, nutritionists and school cooks;
  • involvement of local producers in the school feeding programme;
  • institutionalization at local, regional and national level .

The project aims at promoting the integrated education of children and youths of schools and nearby communities and fighting major public health problems such as malnutrition and obesity.

The school garden facilitates systemic education of the students and the entire community and involves and integrates all the dimensions of the school: local management, teachers, nutritionists, cooks and farmers.

The project established 20 schools garden and innovative methodological strategies, teaching materials and teacher training on environmental, food and nutrition education.

The project was implemented in Bagé, Saubara and Santo Antonio de Descoberto, Brazil, with FAO technical support.

Ms Vera Boerger presented the Brazil experience. She has been the Extension, Education and Communication for Development Officer, in the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (RLC) since June 2004. From December 1998 to June 2004 she worked in the Subregional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa (SAFR). She has been in charge of the above-mentioned TCP project since May 2005, with the technical cooperation and support from RLCA (Agriculture Department Group) and RLCN (Nutrition Group).