Nammude Adukkalathottam Doha (Our Kitchen Garden Doha), a collective of Kerala expatriate farming enthusiasts, has launched its Young Farmer Contest, which will see participation from 40 students from eight Indian schools in Qatar.
“We have distributed seeds and organic fertilisers to the participants. The aim is to make these students acquainted with the primary farming techniques and systems while drawing them towards agriculture,” Ramla Samad, executive member of the collective, told Gulf Times Community. She said the initiative will also contribute to the entrepreneurial skills of the students.
The participants received seeds of tomato, brinjal, ladies finger and green chilly along with organic fertilisers during a launch function last week. The children were also given a brief description of farming methods.
"The participants have started farming in their households," Samad explained. A committee of experts will visit the farms while analysing and monitoring the activities. In order to help the students get technical advice, the organising committee has set up a Whatsapp group that gives regular updates and answers questions. The final results will be announced in February 2022.
Initially, the participants were selected from students of grades 5 to 9. Samad said the collective has chalked out a plan to further extend the initiative to more educational institutions while drawing more students towards farming. “We have planned farming at schools where farmlands will be set up,” she said.
The group has been active in promoting and supporting household farming, gardening and spreading the culture of agriculture. Formed in 2014 with some 80 members, the collective now has more than 100 registered members while the number of affiliated farmers has reached 5,000.
The initiative was inaugurated by Indian Cultural Centre president P N Baburajan. Nammude Adukkalthottam Doha President Benny Thomas welcomed the gathering. Agri Qatar managing director Mohammad Shafiq, Shaheen (Safari Group), Aneesh (Agri Qatar), Dr Sapna (Agri qatar) and collective members Ambara Pavithran, Yasser, Jawahar, Siros, Suraj, Anil, Rema Siros, Madhavi Kutty and Razia attended. Jiji Aravind, general secretary of the collective, proposed a vote of thanks.
ENDS...
“We have distributed seeds and organic fertilisers to the participants. The aim is to make these students acquainted with the primary farming techniques and systems while drawing them towards agriculture,” Ramla Samad, executive member of the collective, told Gulf Times Community. She said the initiative will also contribute to the entrepreneurial skills of the students.
The participants received seeds of tomato, brinjal, ladies finger and green chilly along with organic fertilisers during a launch function last week. The children were also given a brief description of farming methods.
"The participants have started farming in their households," Samad explained. A committee of experts will visit the farms while analysing and monitoring the activities. In order to help the students get technical advice, the organising committee has set up a Whatsapp group that gives regular updates and answers questions. The final results will be announced in February 2022.
Initially, the participants were selected from students of grades 5 to 9. Samad said the collective has chalked out a plan to further extend the initiative to more educational institutions while drawing more students towards farming. “We have planned farming at schools where farmlands will be set up,” she said.
The group has been active in promoting and supporting household farming, gardening and spreading the culture of agriculture. Formed in 2014 with some 80 members, the collective now has more than 100 registered members while the number of affiliated farmers has reached 5,000.
The initiative was inaugurated by Indian Cultural Centre president P N Baburajan. Nammude Adukkalthottam Doha President Benny Thomas welcomed the gathering. Agri Qatar managing director Mohammad Shafiq, Shaheen (Safari Group), Aneesh (Agri Qatar), Dr Sapna (Agri qatar) and collective members Ambara Pavithran, Yasser, Jawahar, Siros, Suraj, Anil, Rema Siros, Madhavi Kutty and Razia attended. Jiji Aravind, general secretary of the collective, proposed a vote of thanks.
ENDS...
