The Importance of Food Gardening in School and College Education

As the world is growing at speed in case of population and density, due to these present unprecedented challenges regarding food security and environmental degradation is also increasing. Children's growth is also affected due to this in some sense. In these regards, we need to grow more nutritious food per hectare and also to conserve long term soil quality. So, it is important, that the farmers must have the required knowledge about agriculture and its allies, the wider environment, climate change and its consequences. Also, they had to keep themselves updated regarding new techniques and technology being applied to crop growing and animal husbandry.

The above knowledge should be circulated to all the members of society. It should not stick up with the farmers or land managers only. One of the most important factors in this society is the school children and college students. Because at this age lot of knowledge can be grasped. So, if there is an approach of adding this knowledge to their regular curriculum, there can be add-on for them and for the development of society also. Food gardening in schools can be where children’s natural enthusiasm for connecting with soil, plants and the wider environment is nurtured and encouraged. This early experience might inspire some to become farmers or crop research scientists. School/ college gardens can make lasting differences in the lives of children/ students. This type of work in these outdoor learning laboratories can speed up gardening, which can be impactful for children, their families, and entire communities for years to come. Here are some of the many ways school/ college gardens make a difference:

Academic Accomplishment

As in traditional classroom activities, students cannot take an interest for a long time, but in outdoor activities mostly related to environment safety and good food, they can get much more interest, more engaged, more attentive and more motivated to learn. While cultivating gardens encourages creativity, stricter disciplines benefit, too. Research shows that students who participate in a garden-based science curriculum, in addition to traditional classroom learning, score suggestively higher on science achievement tests than students in a traditional classroom-based control group. This type of concept can help achieve equality in gender.

Environmental Stewardship

Many students who belong to urban areas have never seen seeds sprout or vegetables develop. For some students consuming fresh produce is also rare. Through these school/ college gardens students will experience the plunders of fresh produce and also will get the details about the plant kingdom. They can learn the plant cycle from the sowing of seed to the harvest of fruits and how these outer forces like rain drought, flood, etc can impacts on plant life.

This newfound attachment to nature boosts the respect and concern for the environment as a whole. They can also express a more positive outlook towards nature, gardening, and environmental issues.

Social and Community Services

These gardens encourage students for teamwork, individual responsibility, and a commitment to success. It also strengthens the bonds between gardeners, schools, and communities. Students who participate in such activities, show significant improvements in self-understanding and cooperation to achieve group goals. Apart from these, it was also observed that students with learning disabilities can improve their nonverbal communication skills, attitudes toward order, and participation in cooperative responsibilities using this school/ college garden involvement.

Healthy Lifestyle Habits

Many children lead inactive lifestyles and have a limited understanding of the links between exercise, nutrition, and lifelong health. Using this school/ college gardening students can improve their physical and mental fitness. Even they can increase physical activities in case of field situations and can improve their lifestyle habits. School gardening also affects eating habits, from non-vegetarian to vegetarian. This can improve attitudes toward vegetables in general and these healthy habits continue into adulthood. School gardens and the lessons they teach can improve the lives of children from all backgrounds in many ways. This healthy positive impact of gardening can touch people and communities throughout their lives.

In fact, in India, this instruction has been issued to schools by the Central Government. The Union Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has prepared guidelines in this regard. The ministry says that this step is being taken with the aim of fulfilling the nutritional deficiency and eliminating malnutrition among school children. Apart from this, this initiative will also promote practical education and learning among the students. For this, the Ministry has asked schools to create a School Nutrition (Kitchen) Garden in their respective premises. For this, schools can take technical, infrastructural and other help from various government departments and institutions. The Center says that an important objective of making a school nutrition garden is that it will teach students to grow their own food. The Ministry has also explained in the guidelines issued to schools how these gardens can reduce the harmful effects of climate change. Plants growing in the kitchen gardens of schools will help in reducing the amount of carbon from the environment. At the same time, by growing our own vegetables, we will not have to import much of it.

So, let us tell you that at present about 11.75 lakh government and government-aided schools are being run in the country. If this kitchen garden is built in every school, it will have a positive impact on the environment. India will not be the primary one for this concept. A parallel initiative is already being taken by Finland.

Why study B.Sc. (Hons.) Agriculture program at SAGE University Bhopal?

The B.Sc. Agriculture course at SAGE University Bhopal offers an all-inclusive curriculum covering a wide range of subjects essential for considering the overall agricultural value chain, from farm to fork. Students can skill themselves in various disciplines, including Horticulture, Genetics and Plant Breeding, Entomology, Plant Pathology, Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Agricultural Extension Education, and Seed Science and Technology. The Educational program at the School of Agriculture, the best agriculture college in Bhopal, MP provides transparency, and flexibility to pursue a successful career in Agriculture. The school envisions providing an atmosphere not only for healthy academic activities but also for the all-round development of student. The Department is well-equipped with smart classrooms to provide ambient teaching facilities. Laboratories with modern instrumentation will felicitate practical-oriented teaching authenticated by appropriate teaching and learning practices. We aim to provide quality education, the best infrastructure for Agriculture College in Bhopal, and research in the emerging areas of agriculture to bring change at the grassroots level.

Dr. Atul Madhao Pradhan
Assistant Professor,
School of Agriculture,
SAGE University, Bhopal (M.P.)