“Extensive use of permaculture could be the answer to the country’s food shortage,” said Food and Trees for Africa Eastern Cape co-ordinator Chris Wild. The launch of the Community Garden Project at Boy Boy Mginwya Pre-School, funded by two Dutch organisations, the NCDO and the 1% club, saw officials from Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA) and the Umthathi Training Project in attendance.
“Extensive use of permaculture could be the answer to the country’s food shortage,” said Food and Trees for Africa Eastern Cape co-ordinator Chris Wild. The launch of the Community Garden Project at Boy Boy Mginwya Pre-School, funded by two Dutch organisations, the NCDO and the 1% club, saw officials from Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA) and the Umthathi Training Project in attendance.
Xolela Qinela, who is in charge of the gardening and nutrition at Umthathi talked about the disadvantages of processed food and the benefits of fruit and vegetables, while Zolani Zondani talked about how medicinal herbs are produced using permaculture.
Xolani Mountain then explained the concept of permaculture to the gathering, which consisted of eager young preschoolers, the staff, FTFA officials and parents.
From there, a Green Ribbon moment was held, where community members were given an opportunity to share their gardening experiences and received gardening tips and seeds.
Certificates of appreciation were handed out to community members who have had a hand in the pre-school gardening project.
The speeches by the FTFA officials, Robyn Hills and Patrick Leckie were kept brief, from where the event was closed off with the planting of an olive tree by Hills and Wild with the parents, learners and staff all eagerly watching.
