Schools as a platform for promotion and scaling of agrobiodiversity conservation for better nutrition

Agrobiodiversity conservation is an important aspect of sustainable agriculture and food and nutrition security; and schools can play a major role in promoting agrobiodiversity conservation among students and the wider community. The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in collaboration with the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute and, the Department of Education developed the Integrated School Nutrition Model in the Philippines with support from Canada’s International Development Research Center in 2016. This involved the establishment of a network of Lighthouse Schools and school-based Crop Museums (which are located within the network of LSs).

The Crop Museums serve as seed banks fostering the multiplication and exchange of crop types and varieties across schools. The LSs serve as action research sites of the ISNM program where the integration of school feeding, nutrition education and school gardens are demonstrated, and evidence is established. Both have proven to be crucial in the promotion of agrobiodiversity conservation within schools and the wider local community. This study analyzes this network of Lighthouse Schools and Crop Museums, with the aim of understanding their role in the conservation of traditional and indigenous fruits and vegetables in the Philippines, and to identify further opportunities to scale up and scale out their work.