Danish embassy, NGO partner to promote agric in Nigerian schools

By Cosmas Omegoh

Danish Embassy of Nigeria and a non-governmental body, African Children’s Aid Education and Development Foundation (ACAEDF), are collaborating to promote agriculture in Nigerian schools, with the programme School Farm for School Meal (SF4SM).

The initiative is designed to create sustainable food self-sufficiency model across schools in Nigeria. Four government schools in Akwa Ibom have been selected to serve as the pilot edition of the project implementation aimed at providing 70 percent of the schools’ feeding needs in the first six months of the academic session.

Sunday Sun gathered that SF4SM is being fully funded by the Embassy of Denmark in Nigeria under its Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) and managed by ACAEDF in Nigeria. Through the support of the Government of Akwa Ibom State, approvals needed to kick-start the programme in the state had been given.

The Embassy of Denmark in Nigeria and ACAEDF through Project SF4SM have designed a sustainable project structure that does not just feed the children, but equips them with basic farming skills for growing their own food.

Both partners were said to have arrived at this long-term intervention model based on information gathered from analysing locally and internationally generated data on similar projects.

Embassy of Denmark in Nigeria’s Sector Counsellor on Food, Agriculture and Fisheries; Poul Jacob Erikstrup said: “Pursuant to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals, the Embassy of Denmark in Nigeria is thrilled to be part of the SF4SM in Nigeria. It goes to reiterate our commitment to Nigeria as a nation and to its people.

 “The Embassy of Denmark in Nigeria sponsored this project under our SDG Facility and we would continue to participate and monitor the execution to ensure that the goal and objectives of the program are attained.”

Founder and Executive Director of (ACAEDF), Mr. David Umem, described “Project SF4SM as an invaluable program not just for students in Nigeria but also for parents and all stakeholders in a child’s life.”