Tangerang students honour legacy of Nelson Mandela with community service

Students from 11 Adiwiyata Schools in Tangerang, Banten, gathered with their teachers at SMKN 2 Tangerang, a vocational school for agriculture and agrobusiness, to plant soya and red kidney beans in their community garden to commemorate Nelson Mandela International Day. 

The community service event, organized jointly by the United Nations Information Centre Jakarta, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the DeTara Foundation, a community-based NGO, was opened by the Mayor of Tangerang.

 The event honoured the legacy of President Mandela through 67 minutes – one minute for every year Mandela spent fighting for social justice – of community service by students, teachers, parents, community leaders, United Nations staff and others towards healthy and sustainable food production and diet. In recognition of 2016 being the International Year of Pulses, the community gardening event showcased the importance of pulses – such as dried beans, lentils and peas – as vegetable proteins in the food chain. The Year was declared by the United Nations to heighten public awareness of the nutritional benefits of pulses as part of sustainable food production aimed towards food security and nutrition.

 “At FAO, we have been inspired by Mandela's call to address hunger and the many social and economic ills that lead to hunger. His struggle is a source of inspiration for us to eradicate hunger and achieve food security for all,” said Mark Smulders, FAO Representative in Indonesia.

 Sunaina Lowe, UNIC Jakarta Director reiterated Mandela’s message: “Freedom is meaningless if people cannot put food in their stomachs, if they can have no shelter, if illiteracy and disease continue to dog them.” “President Mandela epitomized the slogan for the Day’s commemoration – Take Action, Inspire Change! We honour his vision and his service by taking action to improve the health and nutrition of all and in a way that contributes to environmental sustainability.”

 It was fitting that the event was held in Tangerang, which is in the forefront of cities with environmentally friendly policies. It has received the Adipura award, an urban environmental management honour awarded by the Environment and Forestry Ministry, seven consecutive times, including in 2016. “Pulses are climate smart: they simultaneously adapt to climate change, and contribute to mitigating its effects,” Smulders said. 

It is estimated that globally, some 190 million hectares of pulses contribute to five to seven million tonnes of nitrogen in soils. As pulses can fix their own nitrogen in the soil, they need less fertilizers, organic and synthetic, and in this way, they play a part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

FAO and the DeTara Foundation have sponsored various community gardens in schools, engaging children from 12-15 years old in planting, tending and harvesting vegetables and other food staples. The produce is also sold to the local market demonstrating to the children the value of the crops they have grown and providing a secondary income to the school.

 “”Our spirit gains for having healthy, happy and wealthy future generation ” says Latipah Hendarti Director of DeTara foundations

 Adiwiyata, a joint programme of the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Education and Culture, promotes environmental education and encourages schoolchildren to respect and preserve the environment. The programme falls within the Education for Sustainable Development Framework. Selected schools are recognized with an Adiwiyata certificate for pro-environment activities, including curriculum and school policy, budget allocation and management.  

 The event paid special attention to gender parity by ensuring equal participation of girls and boys and female and male community leaders. It highlighted the importance of male and female participation in the food chain and how making healthy diet decisions will benefit both girls and boys in their individual development needs.  

 News report:

http://www.antaranews.com/video/27871/fao-ajak-masyarakat-tanam-bibit-kacang

http://jakartaglobe.beritasatu.com/news/international-year-pulses-puts-emphasis-food-security/

https://m.tempo.co/read/news/2016/08/20/083797536/pbb-fao-peringati-hari-nelson-mandela-di-smkn-2-tangerang