Performance Assessment of Public Funded School Food Gardens Projects in the Sedibeng District Municipality

Abstract

Performance assessment forms part of the performance management function in organisations. This research study was aimed at assessing the performance of public funded school food garden projects to determine their relevance and fulfilment towards poverty alleviation in Sedibeng District Municipality (SDM). The school food garden projects are led by the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (GDARD). The GDARD is responsible for agricultural affairs, environmental protection and nature conservation within Gauteng. The department has also established various projects in Gauteng. This study is prompted by the poor performance of some public funded community projects aimed to alleviate poverty and the creation of income earning opportunities. Some established projects are discontinued due to lack of participation. This study assesses the performance of school gardens projects in the selected schools. It also analyses the impact of these projects towards improving the lives of the community and enhancing food security. A qualitative research approach was used where a set of questionnaires containing open ended questions were designed and issued to the six selected schools in the SMD respectively to collect data. Literature review was considered to understand the concepts and a content of the study. The results show that there are different forms of performance measurement and assessments that can be used to assess school food gardens. The researchers found that performance assessment is vital to determine the relevance and fulfilment of objectives. We recommend a development of performance measurement systems and indicators for school gardens and integrating food gardens into the curriculum