On 17 October 2011, Shell South Africa celebrated World Food Day at AB Phokombe High School in Gauteng.

“FOOD PRICES – FROM CRISIS TO STABILITY” has been chosen as this year’s World Food Day theme to shed some light on this trend and what can be done to mitigate its impact on the most vulnerable. Price swings, upswings in particular, represent a major threat to food security in developing countries. Hardest-hit are the poor. According to the World Bank, in 2010-2011 rising food costs pushed nearly 70 million people into extreme poverty” (www.fao.org)

AB Phokombe High School in Mohlakeng township, close to Randfontein, has more than 1 000 learners. Of these over 100 are orphans and vulnerable children who come to school hungry every day, often only receiving one meal per day given to them through the school feeding scheme.

With these disadvantaged learners in mind, the vice principal approached FTFA, South Africa’s national greening, carbon offset and food gardening organisation, to help them to establish a food garden to supplement fresh produce into the feeding scheme. In August 2011, Shell South Africa generously provided the school with the support to start this initiative. This project forms part of Shell’s Grow-a-Garden project, and is the second phase in greening 20 schools around South Africa.

Sine Melane, Communications Manager – CSI, Shell SA, is encouraged by the enthusiasm for greening and gardening in these projects. She had this to say, “Shell is pleased to contribute in a meaningful and sustainable manner toward addressing food security and nutrition in our schools. Education is broader than classroom learning, it is also about enabling an environment that nurtures learning and I believe that this project achieves this.”

Already the food garden produces vegetables such as spinach, cabbage, lettuce, onion and an assortment of herbs, giving learners access to fresh, nutritious food almost daily. “It is great to see the veggies being used in the feeding scheme. The meals are tastier and certainly healthier for these active learners,” said Lawrence Tshuma, FTFA permaculture trainer.

At the World Food Day event, Lawrence Tshuma  conducted a workshop covering the following activities in theory and practice: maximum utilisation of available land, intercropping, companion planting and succession planting, resourceful water use and management.