Food Security in Schools through Conservation Farming (CF) Interventions
Pupils of Primary 4 to Primary 6 of Pasia Primary School in Agule Sub County, Pallisa District participated in a CA competition during the first planting season of 2014.
With the help of their agriculture teacher Ms. Agonyo, each class planted a plot of maize and a plot of beans under CF hoe basin. In total pupils planted 1 acre of maize and 0.5 acres of beans. The competition was won by Primary 5 pupils. All together they harvested 1ton of maize grain even after eating part of the harvest as fresh maize and 0.2tons of beans.
The school is now able to serve lunch to its pupils during the school term and parents agreed to supplement the pupils’ harvest to have sufficient lunch. The headmistress Mrs. Agnes Amoding says “Serving lunch at school has greatly improved pupils’ attendance and performance. Children are learning CF technology and 15 of them have grown their own CF gardens at home”. The school maintains the CF garden with the support of the parents.
To date 44 primary and secondary schools found in rural areas are practicing CF.