Impact of school garden support on children’s fruit and vegetable intake: evidence from Benin

School gardens can play a crucial role in increasing children’s intake of fresh vegetables. However, evidence of their effectiveness remains limited, especially in West Africa. This study investigates the impact of supporting school gardens through agricultural training, nutrition education, and small-scale equipment on fruit and vegetable consumption. It employs a quasi-experimental design, along with a Difference-in-Differences (DiD) estimator. The data is collected from 884 schoolchildren across 20 schools in Benin, evenly divided into treated and non-treated schools. While both groups had basic school gardens before the intervention, treated schools received additional support in the form of vegetable production training and garden equipment. The results indicate a significant increase in fruit and vegetable consumption among students in treated schools, whereas no significant changes were observed in the non-treated group. Furthermore, students in treated schools demonstrated improved knowledge in vegetable identification, production stages, agricultural practices, and basic nutrition and health. The performance of non-treated schools suggests that schools independently starting garden projects may lack the technical expertise necessary for effective vegetable production. This deficiency may hinder their ability to equip students with practical gardening skills and knowledge of the nutritional benefits of consuming fruits and vegetables. These findings underscore the importance of complementing school garden initiatives with training programs and resource provision to enhance their effectiveness. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers advocating for increased vegetable availability and consumption in schools, supporting efforts to improve nutrition among schoolchildren in West Africa.