NASECO Seed Company to support establishment of demonstration gardens in schools

KAKUMIRO, February 2, 2024 – School administrators, parents and learners in Nyalweyo Sub-county and Kakumiro Town Council in Kakumiro district have a reason to smile after the NASECO Seed Company launched a community development initiative aimed at establishing demonstration gardens in local schools.

The initiative with different components further seeks to draw strategies on how to keep children in schools.

According to Nicolai Rodeyns, the Managing Director of NASECO Seed Company, the initiative will not only help learners get farming skills and knowledge but will also help schools grow food for the learners.

He under this initiative, learners will also be given maize and beans seeds for planting in their homes.  “We are intend to set up small demonstration gardens where learners can learn about agronomy and each pupil will be given a pack of seeds which they will take home and plant to have food at home,” he said.

Meanwhile Rodeyns said his company conducted a needs assessment in the area of operation and discovered that there was a high rate of school dropout. According to the assessment, he said, 1850 pupils  join lower primary and only 6,850 reach upper primary, which he said is worrying.

He said child labour, early marriage, lack of scholastics materials like pens, and books,  as well as hunger in schools are some of the factors responsible for school dropouts in Kakumiro and neigbouring areas.

He noted that  following  the  assessment, the local leaders were engaged and agreed to have an initiative to support school going children with pens and notebooks and recommended textbooks.

Edward Businge Kirya, Inspector of Schools in Kakumiro district commended NASECO Seed Company for the initiative,  saying some learners are unable to have meals at school, which he said forces pupils to keep out of school.

https://thecooperator.news/unbs-moves-to-enforce-food-standards-in-schools/

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