Trees nurture nutrition: An insight on how to integrate locally available food tree and crop species in school gardens

Neglected indigenous fruit trees have an important role in providing vital minerals and micronutrients to growing children, as well as the wider community. The diversity of indigenous fruit trees also means they have an important role to play in addressing seasonality and hunger periods facing many rural communities by ensuring the availability of nutritious fruits for a healthy diet year-round. This chapter will highlight the diversity of indigenous fruit trees and their food composition and contribution to micronutrient and wider dietary needs. It will also highlight the ‘portfolio approach’ – for addressing seasonal and nutrient specific gaps in local diets. School gardens offer an important entry point for the integration and promotion of indigenous fruit trees for nutrition education and promotion of healthy diets. Schools also offer a platform for wider community engagement by promoting practical learning and engagement not only of pupils through such programmes as 4K clubs but also community and parent learning through SMCs and champion farmers

Agroecological transformation for sustainable food systems : Insight on France-CGIAR research

This 26th dossier d’Agropolis is devoted to research and partnerships in agroecology. The French Commission for International Agricultural Research (CRAI) and Agropolis International, on behalf of CIRAD, INRAE and IRD and in partnership with CGIAR, has produced this new issue in the ‘Les dossiers d’Agropolis international’ series devoted to agroecology. This publication has been produced within the framework of the Action Plan signed by CGIAR and the French government on February 4th 2021 to strengthen French collaboration with CGIAR, where agroecology is highlighted as one of the three key priorities (alongside climate change, nutrition and food systems)