In Summary: The project will promote soybean growing to improve school feeding, address child nutrition and reduce school dropout rates, while headteachers could have their performance assessed partly on the establishment of school gardens.
Kamuli, Uganda — The Busoga Consortium for Development has launched a school gardening project targeting all schools across the Busoga sub-region, in an initiative aimed at improving school feeding, addressing malnutrition and reducing dropout rates.
The project was launched on November 11, 2026, at Kamuli District Headquarters, bringing together district leaders, headteachers, Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), district officials and other stakeholders from across Busoga.
Speaking at the launch, the consortium’s Executive Director, Anthony Mula, said the initiative seeks to ensure every school establishes a garden by the beginning of the 2027 school year. “Our main focus is to see that every school has a school garden starting with the next term of 2027,” Mula said.
He explained that the project is intended to strengthen education outcomes by improving children’s nutrition, encouraging school attendance and reducing the number of learners dropping out.
Mula said soybean had been recommended as the main crop because of its nutritional value and its potential to produce different food products for school consumption.
“We recommended soya because it can produce milk, porridge, food for hens, bread and many other food products,” he said.
He urged leaders in the pioneer districts to support the initiative and mobilise schools and communities to embrace school gardening.
The programme will initially be implemented in Kamuli, Mayuge and Namayingo districts before being extended to other districts across Busoga.
During the launch, leaders resolved that the establishment and management of school gardens would form part of the assessment of headteachers, potentially contributing to their performance recognition, promotions and other accolades.
They also agreed that headteachers should participate in classroom teaching instead of concentrating exclusively on administrative responsibilities.
Deputy Resident District Commissioner of Namayingo Sarah Kasada welcomed the initiative, urging parents and other stakeholders to support school feeding programmes and encourage schools to establish gardens.
She said broader community involvement would be important in ensuring the project succeeds.
Kamuli District LCV Chairperson Dhizaala Kaloli also called on parents to ensure that children receive meals while at school, emphasising the link between nutrition and learning.
“Parents should ensure their children are fed at school. A hungry child cannot learn well,” Dhizaala said.
Leaders at the launch said growing food within school premises could reduce the cost of feeding learners while making school feeding programmes more sustainable.
They expressed hope that improved access to meals would encourage children to remain in school and improve their learning outcomes.
The initiative is expected to expand across Busoga, with schools encouraged to grow food that can contribute directly to feeding their learners.
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