Kitchen Gardens

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:24): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister update the house about the Kitchen Garden program running through the Botanic Gardens?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:25): I thank the honourable member for his very important question about this very important program which he has an ongoing interest in.

The Hon. T.A. Franks interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I am about to give the answer. Mr Baba Dioum, a Senegalese conservationist, has become well known for the following saying attributed to his speech to the General Assembly of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The Hon. G.E. Gago interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Can't you hear me? Do you want me to start again? Sorry, I will speak into the microphone. Mr Baba Dioum, a Senegalese conservationist, has become well known for the following saying attributed to his speech to the General Assembly of the International Union for Conservation of Nature in India, 1968:

In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand; and we will understand only what we have been taught.

These words remain pretty relevant today and demonstrate how important it is that we support programs and initiatives that will instil in people a love of nature from a very early age. I have talked in this place previously about our programs in terms of Nature Play, but today I want to talk about international research that shows that it is very good for children to get involved in kitchen gardens.

They learn about nurturing seeds, understanding where food comes from, are more likely to eat healthy food, I am told, and engage in exercise, and have a better understanding of the critical importance of the natural environment through these processes. I am not sure that that would have worked with me with broccoli when I was growing up, but I could never get the broccoli to set heads, of course.

The Hon. G.E. Gago: Brussels sprouts?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I love brussels sprouts and they are very easy to grow too. There is even evidence to suggest that children engaged in kitchen gardens develop better social and life skills, particularly empathy and responsibility (except for empathy with snails and slugs and earwigs). The positive effects of participation in gardening are broad, long lasting, and are strongest for young children and for people at risk of disadvantage.

There are some excellent programs available, such as the partnerships with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation and the Community Kitchen Gardens program facilitated by the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide. We want to ensure that as many children as possible can have access to such programs and, in particular, it is important for preschool and young school-age children, because a growing body of research tells us that investing in development from an early age can offer substantial rewards and returns in the long run in children's lives.

This is why I am pleased this government will provide funding of $400,000 each year for four years to the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide to support a kitchen gardening program located at the Botanic Gardens. The Botanic Gardens has a great track record of successfully delivering community focused edible gardening programs since 2009. I think the last program I was associated with there was growing barley for turning into malting barley and beer. I am not sure that it was actually directed at children, I hope not, more than likely to their parents, but it shows what the Botanic Gardens can do.

With the support of the Department for Education and Child Development, these programs will be expanded to focus on children and young people in schools and early learning settings. This $1.6 million of funding will support the building of a hands-on kitchen garden at the Botanic Gardens of Adelaide. This kitchen garden will be a hub of activity around plants and food, and will inspire and help young people to grow food at home and in schools and their communities. The kitchen garden will provide an ideal demonstration space for students and teachers. It will be a place where children can learn how to grow and prepare food. It will also provide valuable resources for school staff to connect the gardening activities to sections of the Australian curriculum, supported by resource materials produced by program staff.

School and preschool staff will also be able to access professional development opportunities through the program and the program will offer professional training delivered both in the garden and in schools, and will work with school and preschool staff to extend sustainable kitchen gardening programs across our state.

While the space will primarily be used by children and school students, it will also be used by vocational students from the Australian Centre of Horticultural Excellence and by the community. This is a very important government initiative to ensure that South Australian children have greater opportunities for outdoor learning and social engagement.

This initiative goes hand in hand with another recent announcement about the launch of Nature Play, an independent not-for-profit organisation that will also assist parents, grandparents, schools and community groups to put a focus on outside, unstructured play. I am very proud that we, the government, are investing in helping us get back to a balance and providing opportunities for children to experience, appreciate and respect the beautiful natural environment that we have in this state. It is my hope, and the government's hope, that children will take back to their homes and their communities great stories about planting seeds and seeing their own veggies grow, and of course, they can enjoy getting their hands dirty as kids used to do and am sure will do into the future. We want them also to learn to love the nature that surrounds them.