"Food For Life": ARO launches food security initiative
NAIROBI - The ARO (Africa Scout Regional Office) conducted a training programme for the "Food For Life" Project between 6th and 8th August 2008. This is partly as a response to an acute food shortage in Africa and in the world as a whole.
In attendance were representatives from National Scouts Associations of Burundi, Kenya and Uganda - the initial beneficiary countries. Mr. Sikuku, a consultant from Sustainable Ecological Agricultural Training Extension Centre (SEATEC), together with the ARO IAWS Project Coordinator, Purity Kagure facilitated the training, in conjunction with some ARO staff members.
Funded by ONE51 Foundation, the Food For Life project targets Scouts in selected countries and aims at contributing to poverty alleviation through teaching and equipping them with agricultural skills, not only to ensure food security for them and their families but also provide a source of income from the sale of the extra produce.
The topics covered include among others:
- Organic farming and its advantages,
- Composting,
- Caring for crops and
- Plant nutrition.
The most interesting part of the training was the practical lessons, where participants prepared various types of beds and planted seedlings in the vicinity of the ARO Office.
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