Located south of Togo in the coastal region, more precisely in the Zio prefecture about 30 kilometres from Lomé, the Alinka public elementary school Slow Food garden was started by the Togo Maritime convivium, sustained by the students and teachers of this school.
With about 402 students overseen by 10 teachers, the Alinka public elementary school is on a plateau, and its Slow Food garden is behind the school buildings, in the middle of houses. This garden is cultivated by all the students. During the science and earth life (SVT) courses, the students and their teachers go out to the garden to demonstrate the course and learn the names of the different plants growing there and to understand more how they are grown. The Alinka EPP students are quite enthusiastic about their gardening activities. Among the range of plants grown in the garden, there are okra, “fotintin”, spinach, “adémin”, “gnatou”, carrots, beans, aubergines, papayas, bananas, round pepper “gboyébessé”, and many medicinal plants such as “zokpéti”. For a good yield, the garden coordinator has trained the teachers as well as the students in organic pesticide and composting techniques. He has also made available manuals for organic composting and pesticide production to improve the garden harvest.
It must be underscored that the harvests are used as ingredients in the preparation of the school cafeteria; another part is sold and the profits are used to buy chalk. The harvests are also used to prepare the huge end of school year dinner.
Area
Zio Prefecture, coastal region
Coordinator
Wenmima Miska
