The community of Donkerbos is located in one of the remotest localities in Namibia and is only accessible by 4x4 vehicle and as result service delivery is very slow or in some cases non-existent. There are no shops to purchase food or anything that ordinary Namibians take for granted. Over the years the community has undertaken dryland crop farming activities with financial assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Land Reform (MoAWLR) and the implementing partner the DRFN. This enabled families to have access to healthy vegetables, and ensured food security especially in times of drought and food shortages.
Therefore it was ideal that this practice of food sufficiency be extended to the only school on the farm. With financial support received from the Small Grants Programme, the community with support from with the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture (MoEAC) initiated to build a school garden. The community provided the labour for this noble initiative and women were at the forefront of the construction of the garden. The aim of the shaded school garden is twofold (1) to equip the learners, teachers and the community with the necessary skills using conservation agriculture methods and techniques thereby encouraging a culture of self-reliance (2) to use the crops harvested from the garden to supplement the school feeding program. Throughout the years, the MoEAC has been encouraging schools in Namibia to establish school gardens, and the DRFN is pleased to support this initiative which ultimately provides the avenue for the learners to put into practice, what they learn-whilst growing their own food.
