Great Bay - This year, in an effort to further promote sustainable food production the Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs (CDFHA) had the unique opportunity to visit several school gardens to get a closer look at its gardening program, its origins, impact and of course its harvest.

More importantly, we recognize the tremendous potential and enormous role that school gardens can play in combatting play hunger on St. Maarten in a cost effective way while simultaneously equipping pupils with valuable life skills i.e. patience, focus and cooperation and self-confidence.

The mini-agricultural project has generated a lot of interest & excitement, particularly amongst the students, in maintaining and nurturing the garden.   

The harvest serves as ingredients to compliment healthy meals for students and or shared among the faculty and community.

The Department of Community Development, Family & Humanitarian Affairs salutes the management and students of the Sister Borgia, Sister Magda, St. Joseph, Sister Regina, St. Dominic High & Primary School and the Sister Marie Laurence School for supporting the vision to further bolster our food production system and ensuring that “No one is left behind.” 

For more information, and to view the various schools and their garden program, please log on to the Facebook Pages of Government of Sint Maarten at SXMGOV, and Community Development Family & Humanitarian Affairs.

The Department of Communication has produced a video/tv program, which is a special Gov Insider program consisting of six short videos showcasing the children and the garden programs. This was in light of World Food Day.