Hydroponics project started with secondary school students.
Saturday, September 15th 2007
A pilot project utilizing hydroponics technology has been launched in an effort to promote different methods of farming in expanding the agriculture sector.
Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants in water and without the use of soil. The Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture launched its first hydroponics training workshop at the Saint Stanislaus College Farm in Sophia, last week.
The Schools Hydroponics Project was declared open by IICA Representative Ignatius Jean, Chairman of St Stanislaus College Farm, Chris Fernandes, IICA Course Facilitator, Dr Hector Munoz and Deputy Chief Education Officer (Technical) Suresh Baijnauth. According to Jean, "We must find new and exciting ways to attract our youths into agriculture and an appropriate start is with the hydroponics technology," he said.
The programme is organized for youths in the country and students from 16 schools from five regions will be participating in the vegetable production training and competition over a four-week period. It is expected that the programme will help integrate classroom academics and hands-on vocational training by giving students an opportunity to apply subjects such as mathematics, chemistry and biology in functional situations.
They will also have an opportunity to understand and apply science, be able to connect to the real world and, hopefully, see the produce they grow in the market place, Jean said.
The education ministry selected 160 students from the secondary schools and 16 teachers to participate in the programme.
The competition is divided into two phases. In phase one 10 students from each selected school will receive a three-hour intensive training course on hydroponics vegetable production at the farm. Saint's, Queen's College and Brickdam Secondary School students participated in the first session.
Phase two, will involve the preparation of a garden at the respective schools which will launch the competition. Prizes will be presented to the winners during World Food Day activities in October, when Agriculture Month is celebrated.
GINA said the general objective of the programme is to engender in children an early interest in activities which enhance food security, nutrition and health.