RCE Minna - 2018

SCHOOL EMPOWERMENT AND NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTATION THROUGH AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE (SENSA)
Basic Information
Title of project : 
SCHOOL EMPOWERMENT AND NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTATION THROUGH AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE (SENSA)
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Minna
Contributing organization(s) : 
ASSOCIATION OF FEMALE APPOINTEES AND WIVES OF NIGER STATE OFFICIALS (AFAWNSO)
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Dr. Abdul Husaini
Organizational Affiliation: 
RCE Minna
E-mail: 
abdulhusaini@yahoo.com
Format of project: 
Audio Visual and Report
Language of project: 
English
Date of submission:
Tuesday, October 30, 2018
Web link: 
www.rceminna.com.ng
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
SDGs
At what level is the policy operating?: 
Local
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Africa and Middle East
Country: 
Nigeria
Location(s): 
Niger State, Nigeria
Address of focal point institution for project: 
Minna, Nigeria
Ecosystem(s):
Agricultural
Target Audience:
Secondary, Teacher Ed.
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Minna is a city (estimated population 304,113 in 2007) in west-central Nigeria. It is the capital of Niger State, one of Nigeria's 36 federal states. It consists of 2 major ethnic groups: the Nupe and the Gbagyi. The major activities of the local people is farming and hunting. Minna is about 150km to the capital city of Nigeria.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
The Schools Empowerment and Nutritional Supplementation through Agriculture (SENSA) programme was conceived and funded by Association of Female Appointees and Wives of Niger State Official (AFAWNSO) and it seeks to contribute towards addressing the challenge of quality nutrition and relevant education by reviving the school-gardening culture through sustainable horticulture and fruit trees. This programme is in tandem with the goals of the Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) launched by UNESCO in 2014. The goal of the project is to improve the nutrition and environment of both students and teachers in secondary schools through agricultural empowerments.
The programme was designed and implemented by RCE Minna. Furthermore, among the roles of RCE Minna includes: To develop the concept, content and process towards achieving the stated objectives. To identify the schools to be engaged - their numbers, institutional capacity, location and other characteristics (security, soil fertility, land and water availability, etc.). Provide the needed expertise and resource persons for the complete implementation of all aspects of the programme on behalf of the Association of Wives of Executives, Female Elected and Appointed Officials. RCE Minna is also expected to provide Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and report for the programme. To supplement the long-term impact and sustainability of the agricultural and environmental part of this programme, the initiation of an annual school Principals Environmental Legacy Project (PELP) competition was recommended for adoption by the project protomers.
Contents
Status: 
Completed
Period: 
March, 2018
Rationale: 
The programme was designed and implemented by RCE Minna. Furthermore, among the roles of RCE Minna includes: To develop the concept, content and process towards achieving the stated objectives. To identify the schools to be engaged - their numbers, institutional capacity, location and other characteristics (security, soil fertility, land and water availability, etc.). Provide the needed expertise and resource persons for the complete implementation of all aspects of the programme on behalf of the Association of Wives of Executives, Female Elected and Appointed Officials. RCE Minna is also expected to provide Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and report for the programme. To supplement the long-term impact and sustainability of the agricultural and environmental part of this programme, the initiation of an annual school Principals Environmental Legacy Project (PELP) competition was recommended for adoption by the project protomers.
Objectives: 
Ensure each boarding school has a thriving school vegetable garden of 5 crop varieties to provide short-term sustainable supplementary nutrition for students.
Ensure that each school has a well-established fruit tree plantation of 3 species to provide long-term sustainable supplementary nutrition for students.
Ensure that each school has adequate shade trees for greater environmental and aesthetic enhancement.
Ensure awareness and commitment of students to agricultural, environmental and sustainable development through establishment or strengthening of their environmental/farmers clubs and societies.
Empowerment and capacity-building of students and staff in line with the agricultural empowerment.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
At the moment over 2000 trees have been planted and are currently surviving based on the first Monitoring and Evaluation conducted. Also, some of the vegetables like Okoro and Spinach have been harvested over 3 times and used for students meals at the various schools. More so, when the school is on break the vegetables are harvested and sold out to avoid wastage, thereby raising some revenue for the schools. The project is also serving as an eye opener for students and teachers towards the beauty in environmental management. At the moment, the proceeds made out of the vegetable sales are used to replace any tree that did not survive. Furthermore, the garden serves as practical field for students taking Agricultural subjects. Students that have not seen what an orchard is now have an opportunity to see one.
Size of academic audience: 
Approximately over 1000 students have been engaged across the 15 Secondary Schools.
Results: 
A video has been developed in order to share the concept widely with the hope that other RCEs and organizations will develop the same or similar concept so as to widely encourage the participation of young people and the community at large in learning, understanding and replicating the idea of caring for our environment and enhancing nutrition through fruits and vegetables.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=1U-1uWGvzO4
Lessons learned: 
The project has succeeded in improving the skills of the school teachers on the best practice in planting trees and vegetable. A practical demonstration visit was conducted across the entire 15 schools to show the students and staff the hole digging specifications for trees and the vegetable beds for nursing the vegetable and onward transplanting. The idea is to ensure high survival rate of the trees and massive yield for the vegetables. More so, students and staff were given various life-skills training workshops on basic business and financial literacy, personal development and leadership, study techniques and exam preparation, career counseling, personal grooming and hygiene, conflict management and preventing domestic violence, environmental awareness and sustainable development.
Key messages: 
At the moment over 2000 trees have been planted and are currently surviving based on the first Monitoring and Evaluation conducted. Also, some of the vegetables like Okoro and Spinach have been harvested over 3 times and used for students meals at the various schools. More so, when the school is on break the vegetables are harvested and sold out to avoid wastage, thereby raising some revenue for the schools.
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
Among the numerous significance of the project is its ability to solve problem of nutrition and environmental management across the entire Niger State. This is because the project cut across 15 boarding Schools in the 3 Geopolitical zones of Niger state. Five schools were selected from each of the zone so as to provide equal spread. More so, it involves the community and help raised tremendous awareness on environmental management through agriculture which is the major source of income for the people in the local communities. The idea is expected to be further spread across the remaining schools of Niger and beyond. Also, other RCEs are expected to follow suit in domesticating this concept at their local communities.
Funding: 
The Projected was fully funded by the Association of Female Appointees and Wives of Niger State Officials (AFAWNSO).

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Image icon IMG-20181018-WA0017.jpg (94.7 KB) Students Harvesting Okro at the Vegetable Garden Government Secondary School Izom
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Direct
SDG 3 - Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages 
Indirect
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Indirect
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Indirect
Theme
Disaster Risk Reduction 
Indirect
Agriculture 
Direct
Forests/Trees 
Direct
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
Global Action Programme (GAP) on Education for Sustainable Development – Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
Indirect
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Building capacities of educators and trainers 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Empowering and mobilizing youth 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
Direct
Update: 
No