The 63 finalist schools of the 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant programme have spent three action-packed days in Johannesburg, presenting their extraordinary Permaculture food garden projects to a panel of judges that included representatives from government, business, NGO's and schools.

Co-ordinated by Food and Trees For Africa (FTFA), the 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant, in association with DWAF, MaAfrika Tikkun and LandCare South Africa, is the leading schools food gardening and greening programme that aims to enhance food security, promote sustainable development, and build skills and capacity in school communities.

The finals of the 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme are designed to recognise the development of schools' gardens over time.

The Emerging Category is for schools that have recently implemented a Permaculture project and entered the programme for the first time. The Intermediate Category is made up of schools that have been finalists before, but have not yet won in a Category. The Advanced Category is comprised of schools that have maintained a Permaculture project for more than a year and that have been previous winners of EduPlant.

Nine schools are also chosen as winners in their respective provinces. More than R200 000's worth of prizes were distributed to all the finalist schools, these included the trip to the event, R500 cash for each school, as well as numerous educational resources, seeds and gardening tools.

Toronto Primary School, situated in a poverty-stricken Polokwane community in the dry Limpopo Province, took top honours in the Advanced Category. Toronto is notable for its highly developed environmental education programme that serves and supports clusters of surrounding schools. Other EduPlant finalists, including Moriting Primary who came third in the same category, are schools that are part of Toronto's outreach programme.

The learners and educators of Toronto Primary are exceptional at networking with Government departments and influencing the policymakers in their area to raise awareness and improve environmental conditions. Toronto has an outstanding Permaculture garden that encompasses fruit, herb and vegetable production, livestock production, medicinal plants and a nursery. Mtuba Christian Academy from KwaZulu-Natal was awarded second place in the Advanced Category, recognising their advanced Permaculture skills and abundant food production. Mtuba is a fine example of a school with an extraordinarily dedicated educator who supports 187 other schools with their Permaculture projects.

Magudu Primary from Limpopo, Phozi Primary from the Eastern Cape and General Smuts High School from Gauteng took first, second and third prizes in the Intermediate Category.

This year more than 5800 educators attended EduPlant workshops. 430 schools entered the 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme, and the Emerging Category was characterised by many new and exciting projects from all over the country.

The 2004 Emerging Category winner is Kwamfundo HighSchool from the Western Cape, Boikanyo Primary from North West and Rainbow High School took second and third places, respectively.

This year's finals of the 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme highlighted much positive growth and development at the participating schools. It was clear from their presentations that these children have a clear and deep grasp of the importance of caring for the earth, of securing their own food, and of the role that they play in promoting sustainable development in their communities. Learners and educators have a strong sense of being empowered with knowledge and skills that enable them to grow their own good food, to comprehend the interdependence of natural systems, to protect their own environment and to share their newfound expertise with their communities.

Schools that have Permaculture gardens are schools that can increasingly meet the nutritional needs of their learners. They are schools that have unique living, learning laboratories that facilitate the effective delivery of the outcomes-based curriculum in all the learning areas. All schools that participated in the 2004

Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme are actively creating a better future for their learners, educators and school communities.

"The 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme is an excellent example of systemic, solution-oriented partnerships," comments Tom McLaughlin, Woolworths Sustainability Manager. "Here we have schools, government, business and NGO's collaborating to address some of the most pressing needs in our society - hunger and environmental sustainability. Good food produced in caring and sustainable ways is at the heart of Woolworths' business. The Woolworths Trust is committed to working closely with its chosen partners to make a difference in South African communities, and to contributing to a brighter and better tomorrow for all South Africans."

THE WINNERS OF THE 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme

The nine provincial winners of 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme are:

The winners of the 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme Emerging
Categories are:
1st  -   Kwamfundo High School  -   Western Cape
2nd  -   Boikanyo Primary  -   North West
3rd  -   Rainbow High School  -   Free State

The winners of the 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme Intermediate
Categories are:
1st  -   Magudu Primary  -   Limpopo
2nd  -   Phozi Primary  -   Eastern Cape
3rd  -   General Smuts High School  -   Gauteng

The winners of the 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme Advanced
Categories are:
1st  -   Toronto Primary  -   Limpopo
2nd  -   Mtuba Christian Academy  -   KwaZulu Natal
3rd  -   Moriting Primary  -   Limpopo

The 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme Judges:

Major Sponsors of The 2004 Woolworths Trust EduPlant Programme:

Issued on behalf of the 2004 Woolworths Trust Eduplant Programme
Jeunesse Park
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