Gov’t program to improve health of school children crafted

LOS BAÑOS, Laguna, Philippines— A government program to improve the nutritional condition of school children has been crafted.

Named School-based Food and Nutrition Program (SFNP), it will be implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The SFNP was crafted by the Philippine government-hosted Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) with technical assistance from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB).

The SFMP is in line with the government’s efforts to raise awareness on issues and actions to mitigate hunger and malnutrition as advocated and reiterated during the 39th observance of National Nutrition Month last July.

The program is designed to improve the nutritional condition and dietary habits of school children by increasing production of locally adapted vegetables through school gardening.

SEARCA Director Gil Saguiguit Jr. said the program’s underlying objective is to revive or generate interest in agriculture among school children and their families by promoting the use of appropriate science-based technologies and practices in agriculture.

“For this reason, SEARCA’s school-based garden model complements other similar school gardening program in the country,” he said.

Specifically, Dr. Saguiguit said, the SFMP aims to increase the knowledge and skills of students and teachers on food production and nutrition through experimental learning activities that instill the importance of agriculture, environmental concerns, and use of locally adapted green technologies.

Vegetable production in school gardens is also expected to reduce the food expenses of children’s families and create savings that could be used for the families’ other basic needs, Dr. Saguiguit stressed.