BY DELISA THWALA
ENGUNDZENI– The Taiwan Africa Vegetable Initiative (TAVI) a three-year project aimed at enhancing the conservation of traditional African vegetables is going to be piloted to at least 16 Primary schools in the country.
Today Engudzeni Primary school saw the launch of project and further had a chance to showcase their vegetables.
This initiative is sponsored by the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and is being implemented by the World Vegetable Centre in collaboration with the Government of Eswatini’s Ministries of Agriculture, Ministry of Education and Training and other Non-Governmental Organizations.
World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg), an international nonprofit agricultural research institute with headquarters in Shanhua, Taiwan, officially launched the Taiwan-Africa Vegetable Initiative (TAVI), a three-year project to conserve and use African vegetable biodiversity to address malnutrition by increasing the production and consumption of nutritious vegetables in Eswatini, Tanzania, Madagascar, and Benin.
TAVI aims to improve child and household nutrition through field-tested school and home garden interventions, upgrade the gene banks of Eswatini’s National Plant Genetics Centre in Malkerns as well as rescue and conserve the genetic resources of traditional African vegetables.
A while ago when, Minister of Agriculture Jabulani Mabuza said the project is also being rolled out in Benin, Madagascar and Tanzania. In fact, it is done in collaboration with the World Vegetable Center.
“It gives us an opportunity to explore conservation, production and utilisation of indigenous vegetables. We appreciate the financial and technical investment that goes into such initiatives,” said Mabuza.
Shiselweni Regional Administrator (RA) representative Thabile Mbuli said with Engudzeni being one of the 16 Primary schools where TAVI is promoting this intervention, it meant instill healthy and business skills in the children.
“To this effect, champion farmers have been engaged to produce TAVS for inclusion in the school meals. In addition, a school garden has been established to provide on-site learning for the school children. Nutrition education is also being provided to the learners to enhance their appreciation of the health benefits of the TAVS,” said Mbuli.
The event that took place today started with a tour of the TAVS School Garden, followed by awareness creation of the TAVS through a mini comedy show by the TAVI food ambassador who won the hearts of the youngsters. After that a presentation was made on nutrition education for 450 students and followed by food tasting for 45 students and media houses.
