Growing for the Future

At Green Valley Primary School, the head teacher introduced a new idea — a community farming project to support food production and improve school meals. Pupils from Class Six were chosen to lead the project with the guidance of Teacher Mussa, the agriculture teacher.

"We are going to learn how to grow our own food," said Teacher Mussa. "This will help us understand agriculture and how it supports life."

The pupils began by ploughing the land behind the school. Together, they removed weeds, broke up the soil with hoes and harrows, and made neat furrows. The soil was checked for depth and quality to ensure it was fertile and rich in nutrients.

After preparing the land, the class carefully planted seeds of maize, beans, and vegetables. "Make sure the seeds are buried at the right depth and the soil is slightly moist," advised Teacher Mussa. "This helps the seeds to germinate."

Weeks passed, and green sprouts began to appear. The pupils took turns watering the plants, clearing new weeds, and protecting the crops from pests using natural methods like neem leaves.

As the plants grew taller and stronger, the pupils observed the changes. "The crops are healthy because we used good farming practices," said Amina proudly. "This will really increase food production in our school."

Finally, harvest time arrived. The pupils collected baskets of fresh maize and vegetables. Some were used to prepare school meals, while others were sold to buy more purchasing seed for the next season.

Through this project, the pupils learned that food production is not only about growing crops, but also about teamwork, planning, and caring for the environment.