Some of the schools in Kayonza and Nyagatare Districts have participated in planting vegetables in order to provide meals for students, saying that it helps them get quality food and reduces the losses they face.

It was featured in RSB’s campaign, to educate those in the value chain in preparing and delivering quality meals to students.

Some of the leaders of the schools who talked to the media showed that the program of growing vegetables for children at school is good and that it is beneficial for them to learn better.

Mukamusoni Angelique, the Director of EP Gahini in Kayonza District, says that they grow cabbages, green vegetables and carrots, which support other food provided by the government consisting of rice, maize flour and beans.

He said, “If you plant your vegetables, you will harvest them with good quality and the children will eat them with nutrients.”

Nihazimana Telesphore, Director of GS Nyamirama also says, “The contractor we used to pay 12 million Frw to deliver non-perishable food to us, now we pay him between 3 or 4 million Frw.”

Asiimwe James, Head of GS Musheri in Nyagatare District says they are happy with this program because it helps the students to have a healthy diet.

He said, “When you grow vegetables where you grow them, the quality of the food you provide increases, and the amount of money spent on shopping is reduced.”

Naivasi Bella Hakizimana, an RSB worker in the Quality Transfer Program, asked all those concerned to keep in mind that a student who eats a quality meal grows mentally and physically.

“It is our mission to improve the food supply chain, from the farm to the student’s plate,” he said.

The Deputy Mayor of Kayonza District in charge of Economic Development, Munganyinka Hope, also says that they have asked educational institutions to participate in vegetable cultivation.

She said, “It helps the children and the family of Rwanda because when a child learns well, is fed well at school, success increases at a satisfactory rate.”

She asks educational institutions to increase the area under vegetable cultivation in order to continue to improve their capacity in food security and quality.

The Ministry of Education, MINEDUC says that it will not stop improving the structure of the child feeding program at schools but also encourages the leaders of schools to be innovative in supporting the capacity they receive from the Government to feed children.