FBD Insurance Group has announced it will support the delivery of an initiative to introduce primary school children to "garden-based learning".

The initiative is a partnership between FBD and GIY (Grow it Yourself) to deliver the GROW at School programme to primary schools.

The aim of the programme is to train teachers to grow food while helping students to "build a deeper connection" with food.

GIY provides vegetable gardens and educational resources to schools in counties Cork, Limerick, Galway, Sligo, Donegal, and Dublin.

Each garden is designed to engage the school community to benefit generations of students, according to FBD.

The GROW at School programme combines hands-on growing activities with classroom learning, giving students "a practical understanding of where food comes from".

GIY is aiming to create what it calls "food empathy", allowing children to make better food choices.

The initiative was recently demonstrated at Our Lady's National School in Dublin, were students showcased their vegetable beds, sharing what they had learned about planting, harvesting and healthy eating.

Commenting on the initiative, Michael Kelly, GIY founder, said: "Each year, hundreds of schools nationwide apply to join GROW at School, but participation is only possible through philanthropic, corporate, or funding support.

"We are therefore grateful to FBD for their sponsorship, which enables more schools to take part and equips students with lifelong skills in growing their own food," Kelly added.

Tomás Ó Midheach, CEO of FBD Insurance, said: "FBD Insurance is delighted to partner with GIY on the GROW at School programme.

"With 34 branches nationwide, it makes sense for FBD Insurance to support an initiative that nurtures knowledge and skills of growing your own food, supporting local, and eating a balanced, healthy diet from an early age in the communities we operate in," Ó Midheach added.

GIY said that, through surveys, it has measured the programme's impact on children's perceptions of nature, food origins and eating habits, with 93% of students connecting being in the garden with feeling positive about themselves; 96% of students feeling positive about eating fresh vegetables; and a third of students would have no access to a garden without the GROW at School initiative.

GIY said it is working with corporate and philanthropic partners to secure funding to enable more schools to join GROW at School.