The Africa Grain Seeds (AGS) has availed resources that will see a total of 700 000 mixed seedlings being grown in at least 100 schools countrywide as part of its climate-smart initiative.
The programme is being implemented through one of AGS partners, the Grow a Tree Foundation (GTF) and is set to promote resilience, especially in rural communities that have been hard hit by perennial droughts.
AGS Co-founder and vice president, Mrs Zandile Matiwaza-Denga, said the first donation of 600 seedlings and 75 trees was done at Gwangwava Secondary School in Rushinga District in Mashonaland Central Province.
The area has been experiencing severe droughts more frequently resulting in water scarcity for both household and agriculture uses.
“This week, schools in Esigodini district will receive their seedlings and Falcon College is set to take the lead in the exercise with 75 trees and 4 000 seedlings,” said Mrs Matiwaza-Denga.
“We decided on this programme to mitigate the effects of climate change in our communities. It is very critical to establish smart technologies for both climate-resilient communities and climate-resilient schools with the end goal being a sustainable climate-resilient future.
“The intervention has seen us launch the establishment of a green orchard of fruit trees and a nutritional vegetable garden funded by AGS and coordinated and managed by GTF.”
Mrs Matiwaza said the programme, dubbed the ‘green schools initiative’, aims to establish climate-resilient environments in rural communities in order to engage learners and young people on climate change.
Chief Chimhanda officially blessing the project in Rushinga. Seedlings donated by AGS.
She said the donation comprises; Beetroot – Detroit dark red (5g x 400 packs-360 seeds in a 5g gram), Cabbage cape spitz (5g x 400 packs-1230 seed in a 5gram), Carrot Nantes (5g x 400 packs-3000/4500 seed in a 5gram), Onion 400 packs, and Texas grane (5g x 400 packs-1230 seeds in 5grams).
The package also includes Walthum Butternut (5g x 100 packs -60/75 seeds in 5gram), Tomato rio grande (5gx 100 packs-1675 seed in 5g), Rape Hobson (5g x 100 packs-780seeds in 5g), and Swiss Chard Fordhook giant (5g x 100 packs-225 seeds in 5g).
“This initiative addresses access to power, water, food and nutrition, poverty, education, and climate change at large by planting fruit trees, establishing school gardens, drilling solar-powered boreholes among many other approaches,” said Mrs Matiwaza – Denga.
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| Solar-Powered Boreholes Necessary As AGS Rolls Out Climate-Smart Initiatives In 100 Schools |
“In Gwanda, women-led projects are enjoying the benefits from the seedlings, which have created a consistent source of income,” she added.
Climate change and conservation issues are growing in prominence with the Government also redirecting efforts in encouraging citizens to be environmentally conscious.
Mrs Matiwaza – Denga said through the Green Schools initiative, school going children who are in dire need will be supported for their educational programmes.
She said Zimbabwe was one of the 194 states that signed the Paris Agreement on environment conservation.
“This gave light to the establishment of the tree planting programme that addresses Article 12 of the Paris Agreement,” she added.
“It is expected that through this partnership 100 000 fruit trees will be planted across Zimbabwe over a period of 10 years”.
Mrs Matiwaza – Denga said every ‘green school’ was expected to have at least 500 trees, which will be assigned to students whose growth will be profiled against the growth of the trees.
The initiative, she said, will also seek to improve infrastructure, establish school gardens, and address issues that create barriers to education.
The organisation’s (AGS) director Mrs Beatrice Maseko, said the ‘green schools’ initiative was one of the many ways that the partnership will directly work towards achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 4, 6, 10.
“Among issues proffered by the SGDs, the tree planting programme include ending poverty and hunger, achieving food security, nutrition and promoting sustainable agriculture,” she said.
“We recognize that in the past, climate change programs have failed due to a lack of an integrated approach that considers the interconnectedness and holistic nature of education, nutrition, poverty, and other issues that play a role in rural schools,” said Mrs Maseko.
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