To celebrate International Women’s Day, Dr Vincent Martin, Representative of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in China, and staff from FAO China visited the “One Square Meter Gardening” project in Hujialou Center Primary School in Beijing on the afternoon of March 8. Ma Jie, principal of the school, met with Dr Vincent Martin and the staff and had an in-depth discussion with them about the project.

“One Square Meter Gardening” was launched in March 2016 and supported by Beijing Municipal Education Commission. The project intends to allow students to learn through practices about soil and seeds, and the knowledge of growing seedlings, sowing seeds, transplanting and watering the vegetables, while experiencing the joy of harvest. “One Square Meter Gardening” has effectively linked the students with food and nutrition. The pupils were also taught how to process food and read food labels, while developing healthy living skills and healthy dietary habits.

 “’One Square Meter Gardening’ project helped students to familiarize with the whole food production process from the soil to the table. The students have gained more knowledge in agriculture through practices and started to pay attention to food waste problem and healthy dietary,” said Principal Ma.

The project has also won support from “Son of the Earth” Food and Agriculture Education Project, the founder of which, Dr Shi Yan and her team come regularly to Hujialou Center Primary School to offer Nutritional education and teach techniques for growing vegetables. They grow vegetables on campus garden and provide gardening practice classes which are especially welcomed by the school, as well as the students and their parents for its flexible form and fun of learning. Therefore, “One Square Meter Gardening” becomes one of the most popular extracurricular programs in the school.

The FAO team also visited the garden field and joined the students in their practice of preparing soil for growing vegetables. “'One Square Meter Gardening’ project can play an important catalyst role in building green and healthy city. It is a model to reconnect urban population, particularly children with nature and agriculture. This initiative can help improve food and nutrition security in urban area, as well as food habits of future generation.” said Dr Vincent Martin.

FAO is planning to promote urban agriculture as a mean to improve nutrition and food security through, nutrition education and in School Garden activities in China as part of its Country Programming Framework (2016-2020). Hujialou Center Primary School’s “One Square Meter Gardening”, and Dr Shi Yan’s experience will be key partners to share their invaluable experience in this area.