Agriculture edu cation stepped beyond the classroom as fourth-year students of the Goa College of Agriculture introduced schoolchildren across Goa to innovative methods of food production through a series of practical demon strations on hydroponics and kitchen gardening. The initiative, conducted in approximately 30 schools across the State, was or ganised under the Institute Attachment component of the Rural Agricultural Work Experience (RAWE) Pro gramme, in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).
The pro gramme aimed to familiarise young learners with simple, space-efficient and environ mentally responsible ap proaches to growing food. Rather than limiting ag ricultural education to text books, the students used live demonstrations to explain how plants can be cultivated even where con ventional farming space is limited. Students were in troduced to the principles of soil-less cultivation, water and nutrient management, crop selection and hydro ponic production systems. Kitchen gardening was presented as another prac tical way of connecting chil dren with food production.
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Demonstrations showed how vegetables and other useful crops can be grown in school premises, house hold spaces, containers, pots and other small availa ble areas. The approach en couraged students to view food production as some thing that can be practised even within their immedi ate surroundings. A significant feature of the initiative was its inte gration with the State Coun cil of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) curriculum. Concepts pre scribed under Kitchen Gardening for Class VI and Hydroponics for Class VIII were reinforced through demonstrations and ac tivity-based learning. This provided students with an opportunity to experience concepts that they normal ly encounter through class room instruction.
Principal, Goa College of Agriculture and Chairman of the RAWE Programme, Dr Suresh Kunkalikar, said that agricultural institutions have an important role in tak ing knowledge beyond the boundaries of the campus. “Such initiatives create a connection between agricultur al education and the community. They encourage school children to see agriculture as a dynamic field driven by science, technology, innovation and sustainability,” he said. Goa State Coordinator, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Aditya Kakodkar welcomed the initiative and high lighted the importance of experiential learning. “Connecting SCERT curriculum topics with practical demonstrations can help students understand sustainable food production, efficient use of natural resources and en vironmentally responsible practices in a more meaningful manner,” Kakodkar said. According to programme coordinator Dr Shreyas Jadhav, agricultural education should begin by creating curiosity among young minds. “When students see and experience technologies such as hydroponics and kitchen gardening, concepts become more meaningful and relatable. The initiative also provides our agriculture students with an excellent opportunity to practise extension education and scientific communication in a real-world setting,” Jadhav said.
The programme generated considerable enthusiasm among participating students and teachers. Students ac tively interacted with the agriculture students, raised questions about hydroponic systems and showed interest in establishing kitchen gardens in their homes and schools. Teachers also appreciated the initiative for providing a practical dimension to concepts already included in the school curriculum. The initiative represents more than an outreach activ ity—it demonstrates how agricultural universities and colleges can become catalysts for developing scientific cu riosity and environmental awareness among the next gen eration.
Through the combined efforts of the Goa College of Agriculture and WWF, modern farming technologies were brought closer to schoolchildren, creating an early connec tion between education, agriculture, sustainability and re sponsible use of natural resources.
