School farm, where they start young

It always thought that it is usually the older people in mostly rural areas that engage in any agricultural activity. And that the youths are more interested in anything but the farm.
But this may be a misconception when it comes to the girls at Gayaza High School in Wakiso District. They are deeply engaged in tending under their banana plantation, tomato green house, piggery and dairy unit.

There is a lot that they are undertaking in terms of agriculture. This is from production through to marketing and usage of waste in making biogas.
Mr Ronald Ddungu, deputy head teacher, explains that for whatever farming activity the students are involved in, it is related in some way to academics.

For instance, a subject like mathematics. Calculation can be applied when planting in rows. Also, while in the garden, students can collect data from the garden, for example, the different quantities of bananas harvested.

Currently, there are 1,650 students at the school and all of them are involved in different farming activities.
The school allocates days for different classes to work on the farm. Senior One students are usually sent to the green house, Senior Two students to dairy unit, Senior Three specialise in poultry, and Senior Four the banana plantation.
According to Ddungu, the general model for the banana farm is for each student enrolled is to plant a banana. Such that when they are taken to the farm for practical lessons, each is in position to learn from her plant.

The student will also be motivated because they are supposed to sell their produce to the school dinning and they save money that is paid to each of them.
They are also encouraged to act as model farmers when they go for holidays. Some of them have done this by growing vegetables such as eggplant, nakkati, cabbages and tomatoes in the backyards at their homes.
The students are encouraged to learn how to manage the markets for their produce, processing and value addition, and good agronomy practices.

The school farm also acts as a demonstration for other schools. There are school camps, which are organised for students from other schools to come and learn on farm, say, for a period of two to three days. The students are sometimes taken to other schools and communities to share their experiences.
Rose Joy Wanyama, the head of agriculture department, says that 62 out of 93 acres of the school land, is being utilised for agriculture.

Her team works with experts in crop and animal husbandry who are occasionally invited to teach the students.
In 2013, under the aegis of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), a greenhouse for growing vegetables was constructed as well as 20 pigs donated.
Martin Ameu, programme associate, FAO, says that under the Tele project, the organisation has secured US$10,000 (Shs29m) which is donated to groups and schools to promote farming.
This covers any sector be it crop production, fisheries, poultry and animal husbandry. Gayaza High School is one of the beneficiaries.

Emily

My name is Emily Theola Namasopa, a Senior Six student with keen interest in the greenhouse.
I come here occasionally with other students to carry out irrigation and check on the vegetables.
The most important thing for me is to ensure that pests, which mainly affect tomatoes, are under control.
What I know is that pests such as aphid, fruit worms, mites and diseases including bacterial wilt and blight are a major cause of losses in tomato farming. In case of any attack, there are recommended chemicals to use.

Patricia

I am Patricia Kiconco, a Senior Six student. This is how I got interested in growing banana
When we come here on our student banana farm, each student is expected to apply the best agronomy practice to ensure that one’s plant is growing well.
What I do after digging a hole for my plant is to apply manure such as cow dung.
After that, I plant the banana sucker and once it starts growing up to the time of fruiting and harvesting, I keep watering the plants. I use eight liters of water every day.
What is important is to ensure that three seedlings that sprout from the roots of the original plant are maintained and pruning of the old leaves is essential.

Joy
I am called Joy Anjangala, a Senior Six student, and work in the dairy unit. There are 18 cows that are producing milk for us. We participate in the milking jointly with the workers. From these cows, we are able to get 250 litres per day.
This milk is taken to the dining room for the students’ breakfast and some of it is sold to the teachers.What I know is that the cows are healthy but occasionally they get infected with East Coast fever, which is caused by ticks.

Sarah
I am Sarah Ndugga and my task is to explain about the piggery section. We have two breeds, Camborough and Land race. They are quality pigs, each one at three months will weigh 90 kg and 120 kg at six months. They give birth to 14-18 piglets and their meat is lean with less fat.
Also, there is biogas which is used for cooking as well as lighting in the classrooms and dormitories. It is produced from animal and plant waste. What we do is mix cow and pig dung and urine as well as the plant waste, and left to ferment so as to obtaining biogas.
From the mixing channel, where water is part of the processing element, the liquid mixture is left in isolation with the solid waste and the gas is channeled through a pipe.
If the mixing canal is filled to the brim, the gas can last for a week. It is alternated with firewood and hydroelectricity.