Two Kuils River schools featured among 32 finalists from across South Africa in the annual National EduPlant School Gardening Competition—with Rouxville Primary School announced as the provincial winner for the Western Cape.
The finalists were selected from over 300 schools that joined the EduPlant programme at the beginning of 2024.
Rouxville Primary and Soneike High School were among just three schools from the Western Cape at the finals, along with Botha’s Halte Primary School, near Worcester.
The EduPlant competition finals were hosted at Camp Konka in Rustenburg, where learners took part in a programme that included presentations, hiking, tree planting, and herb workshops.
Finalist schools presented their food garden journeys to the judging panel, showcasing how teamwork, innovation, and environmental care have transformed their schools and communities.
The event concluded with a gala luncheon yesterday (Tuesday 7 October), where the winners were announced. Awards included the top three national schools, two “Centre of Excellence” schools (which mentored others in the programme), and the top school in each province.
Training
The EduPlant programme, supported by Tiger Brands, is a leading school food gardening initiative implemented by Food and Trees for Africa (FTFA), a public-benefit organisation.
The 300 participating schools received extensive training in permaculture techniques aimed at helping them establish and maintain thriving food gardens.
The produce—vegetables, fruit, and herbs—is used to supplement school feeding schemes, while surplus harvests are often shared with local communities.
“School food gardens are one of the best ways to provide additional meals for learners,” said Robyn Hills, Head of Programmes at FTFA.
Sustainability
TygerBurger has previously reported on the efforts at Rouxville Primary, where an initiative to teach the Grade 6 learners about sustainability and growing one’s own food in May 2023 led to the establishment of an environmental club.
The after-school club for intermediate phase learners (Grades 4 to 7) ensures the school’s garden is cared for with shared duties.
Teacher and mentor Almaré van Zyl said the learners embraced the hands-on experience.
The school’s 125 m² garden is maintained through robust water management and operates on organic principles, with companion planting to promote pollination and deter pests naturally.
Rouxville is also a proud zero-waste school, sorting all refuse for composting or recycling. Revenue from produce sales is reinvested into the garden.
Soneike High School became involved as a mentor last year, assisting with expanded vegetable beds at Rouxville.
Regenarative agriculture
TygerBurger has on numerous occasions reported on Soneike High School’s impressive agricultural projects, exchange programmes, and vision for sustainability.
Deputy principal Leon Hanslo explained the school’s focus on showcasing what is possible in urban agriculture:
Even if we have smaller systems, when a child leaves here, they must understand how we can produce food, feed the world, and improve our environment.
EduPlant described Soneike High as a “remarkable international showcase for permaculture” and praised its 3 000 m² “Centre of Excellence”—a dynamic learning space supporting subjects such as Agricultural Sciences, Arts and Culture, and Natural Science.
The school has adopted an advanced, chemical-free pest management approach, using bicarbonate of soda, milk, and other bio-organisms—grounded in the belief that pests are often a symptom of poor soil health.
Their integrated model also includes a seed bank and a financial sustainability plan, where produce is sold to fund garden inputs and educational resources.
With its use of boreholes, tanks, swales, and a reservoir to conserve water, Soneike High has become a leading example of urban regenerative agriculture.
Ripple effect
According to FTFA, the ripple effect of the EduPlant programme is felt well beyond the school grounds as teachers and learners often share their new agricultural knowledge with family members and neighbours, who then establish their own food gardens—contributing to household nutrition and even generating small-scale income.
Since its inception in 1994, the EduPlant programme has supported the development of thousands of school gardens across the country.
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