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GROW your own vegetables

24 August 2022 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

UFS vegetable garden — A variety of vegetables, including beans, spinach, onions, and carrots, are sheltered in 40 vegetable boxes in the two 300 m² tunnels opposite the Welwitschia Residence on the Bloemfontein Campus.

At the University of the Free State (UFS), research findings have indicated that 59% of students do not know where their next meal will come from. The recent COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the unemployment rate of 34,9%, adding to the likelihood of our students being affected even more by food insecurity.

One of the initiatives the university has created to address the issue, is a vegetable production and training programme. The purpose of the programme, which was established by the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development, KovsieACT, and the Food Environment Office, is to teach students how to produce vegetables.

A variety of vegetables, including beans, spinach, onions, and carrots, are sheltered in 40 vegetable boxes in the two 300 m² tunnels opposite the Welwitschia Residence on the Bloemfontein Campus. Not only is this initiative providing students with fresh produce that supplements the food parcels they receive from the Food Environment Office through the No Student Hungry Project. It also provides them with the opportunity to get involved on a voluntary basis in the food production process, including the planting and harvesting of the vegetables.

Food production is an important skill in growing one’s own food. Moreover, it is also a valuable skill for students to transfer to their communities back home.

From mid-August through to the end of October is planting season for a number of vegetables. Starting spring on a high note, the Department of Sustainable Food Systems and Development, KovsieACT, and the Food Environment Office invited food security activist, Thabo Olivier, to address the university community and provide some valuable guidelines to grow your own food in innovative ways.

Date: Thursday 1 September 2022

Time: 13:00

Venue: Thakaneng Bridge

Invest in your future and join the event, which will include hands-on harvesting from the vegetables gardens as well as a food demonstration.

More information: Teddy Sibiya on SibiyaLT@ufs.ac.za at KovsieAct.

News Archive

Meet our new #KovsieCyberSta’s

2017-05-23

Description:KovsieCyberSta’s Tags: KovsieCyberSta’s

Amu Mathebula and Thuli Molebalwa are the new
ambassadors of the UFS digital platforms, and are
known as #KovsieCyberSta’s.
Photo: Johan Roux

Our new #KovsieCyberSta's have been announced, and we are delighted to introduce them to the Kovsie community.

Amu Mathebula and Thuli Molebalwa have been chosen by our students as the new #KovsieCyberSta’s, the official brand ambassadors for the University of the Free State’s (UFS) digital platforms.

The energetic duo had their first shoot on Saturday 13 May at the Open Day on the Bloemfontein Campus, and their video is available on the UFS Facebook page.

More about our ambassadors

Amu, a third-year Communication Science student from Krugersdorp in Gauteng, is an extroverted production manager at KovsieTV. “I am an extroverted soul who loves being an MC, is a lover of food, and any place that has water,” she said.

Thuli, a second-year Governance and Political Transformation student and former RC Academic at House Villa Bravado, loves meaningful conversations and is always game for sports. He also serves on the South College Council.

We look forward to journey with them and would also like to wish them the best of luck for their term as UFS brand ambassadors.

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