Sangui©: Students at Bonyolo B school harvested onions and lettuce from their school garden on Friday for the benefit of the school canteen, AIB observed.

According to Burkina Information Agency, the school's director, Mr. Michel Bationo, stated that the school, which has 502 students, has been operating a school garden for nearly five years. The garden initiative is aimed at enhancing students' nutrition through the school's cafeteria services.

The school garden produces various vegetables such as onions, lettuce, eggplants, and okra, and includes fruit trees like papaya and banana, as well as moringa. Mr. Bationo mentioned a second garden in poor condition and is seeking volunteers for its renovation to expand cultivable space.

The harvested produce is primarily used to support the school canteen, with some sold to fund necessary purchases like salt, potash, or oil. Mr. Bationo noted that annual production can exceed 400 kilograms, with the current harvest yielding at least five bags of onions.

Water for the garden is sourced from a well, established with the help of the Baobab Athena association. Initially, students manually pumped water, but the well now simplifies the watering process. Students are organized into groups, with each class assigned a watering day, and those living nearby maintain the garden on Sundays.

The garden also serves as a practical learning platform, teaching students cultivation techniques and responsibility. The school cafeteria typically serves rice with beans, and the school also grows millet and sorghum for t´, a local dish. While the cafeteria staff prepares meals, Mr. Bationo suggested that further training could enhance service quality.

Through this initiative, Bonyolo B school underscores the role of school gardens in improving nutrition and educational conditions in rural settings.