On Friday May 7th, students participating in SHANTU projects, joined a fieldtrip to the World Vegetable Center in Tainan. During the day they participated in ‘tomato leaf curl’ scoring, for the selection of the right tomato breed for the right environment. The world vegetable center aims at raising awareness of the role of vegetables for improved health and global poverty alleviation. They breed vegetables for very specific circumstances, for example tomatoes that can withstand long periods of drought. The Center’s research has demonstrated to policymakers in Africa and Asia that vegetables are one of the most economical means of overcoming widespread vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Later in the day, the students had the chance to visit the huge seedbank, where seed of carefully selected vegetables are stored. This SHANTU activity provided the students with many new insights in the importance of vegetables in a global setting, all to create healthier lives and more resilient livelihoods!
