A Partnership with Farm2Food Foundation

Our research with students across various schools revealed a concerning trend: young people associated farming with poverty and hardship. When shown photographs and asked to identify farmers, students consistently selected images of people in torn clothes and poor conditions. This negative perception posed a significant barrier to promoting organic farming – a crucial element in environmental conservation.

We created “Farmpreneur,” a revolutionary project that combines entrepreneurship with organic farming education. The initiative aimed to transform students’ perception of farming while introducing practical, sustainable agricultural practices in schools.

In partnership with SSA Assam and Farm2Food Foundation, we:

• Developed a comprehensive curriculum integrating entrepreneurship and organic farming
• Established farming clubs in government schools
• Created kitchen gardens as practical learning laboratories
• Integrated agricultural activities with academic subjects:
• Mathematics: Calculating plot areas and crop spacing
• Geography: Understanding soil types and climate patterns
• Biology: Studying plant anatomy and insect life cycles

Notable impacts:

The project created waves of change that rippled through entire communities. What began as a vermicompost lesson in classrooms soon spread to homes as students shared their knowledge with parents. This knowledge transfer led to an remarkable transformation of one village into a thriving vermicompost production centre that now supplies to ONGC, creating a sustainable revenue stream for the community.

The program also revolutionized the school meal system. By establishing a direct market connection between student-grown vegetables and mid-day meal providers, we created a sustainable cycle of food production and consumption within schools. This innovation not only improved meal nutrition by introducing fresh vegetables but also created a practical revenue model where proceeds from vegetable sales flowed back into the community.

Perhaps most significantly, the program transformed traditional classroom education. Students experienced their regular subjects come alive through practical application in the garden. Mathematics became real through plot measurements, biology through plant growth observation, and geography through understanding soil conditions. This hands-on approach developed not just academic understanding but also crucial entrepreneurial skills and environmental awareness. The garden became a living laboratory where theory met practice, creating deeper, more meaningful learning experiences.

The project’s success led to its adoption by the SSA as a model program, demonstrating its potential for nationwide implementation. The Farmpreneur approach has proven that education can be a powerful tool in changing perceptions and creating sustainable agricultural practices.

The project successfully demonstrated that by changing young people’s perception of farming and providing practical experience, we can create a new generation of environmentally conscious entrepreneurs who view agriculture as a dignified and profitable profession.