Care for the earth & knowledge of good food is the highest knowledge our children need

Mangaluru, June 29: Care for the earth & knowledge of good food is the highest knowledge our children need says Dr. Vandana Shiva while hailing Sharada Vidyanikethana Public School, which is affiliated to the CBSE, has introduced agricultural science as a compulsory subject for students from the 5th to the 10th standard.

 

Theory and practical classes and periodic evaluation of students on farming are now part of the curriculum of a school in Mangaluru.

Asked why agricultural science was introduced as a compulsory subject, M B Puranik, President of Sharada Group Institutions said many children these days, especially in urban areas; don’t know how a crop is grown. This subject will give them hands-on experience, he said.

The school went ahead with the soil testing of the area to take up cultivation of various vegetable crops. As of now, students have taken up the cultivation of around 18 vegetables on an area of 3.5 acres. Plans are afoot to take up paddy cultivation on the unused paddy fields in the vicinity of the school campus, he said.

Though the vegetables and horticultural produce will be used upon the campus, plans are also in place to select a team of students to market the farm produce in the vicinity. In this connection, an outlet near the campus will sell the product once or twice a week he said.