Garissa learners gain skills in climate-smart agriculture initiative set to combat food insecurity

Garissa learners gain skills in climate-smart agriculture initiative set to combat food insecurity

Learners at Yathrib Primary School in Garissa are gaining skills to combat drought and food insecurity through an innovative climate-smart agriculture initiative.

On Saturday parents and pupils celebrated as they made a big harvest of kales through the modern agricultural practice, where learners gained skills using mobile technology.

"This is the first time I ever harvested kales. I am not a farmer, we only buy them from the market, our children have proven to be capable of being self-reliant," says Abdi Ahmed, a parent as he plucked the kales under the guidance of his son a grade five pupil.

He said the UK-Tech Hub-supported project was simple and would be a life changer for the community once they adopted the modern agricultural practice.

Hassan Mohamed, a parent who participated in the harvesting also acknowledged that the project will have a big impact on not only the learners but the entire community.

The programme teaches learners climate-smart agriculture skills to tackle drought and food insecurity. (Photo: Issa Hussein)

He said the community will embrace the knowledge gained from the school centre of practice garden equipped with 42 planting cones, designed to maximise water efficiency and support the crop's resilience in Garissa's challenging climate.

Osman Dure, the school head teacher, highlighted the importance of the project which he said was piloted at Yathrib Primary School to impart modern agricultural skills to learners and boost the school feeding programme in the Arid and Semi-Arid regions.

He said the project implemented by the 4gotten Bottommillions (4BM) and M-lugha organisation in partnership with the county government and funded by UK-Tech Hub, would help to combat food insecurity and impart learners with modern farming skills through smart agriculture.

At Yathrib Primary School in Garissa, a UK-Tech Hub-funded project is equipping students with modern agricultural skills while enhancing the school feeding programme.

The initiative, tailored for arid and semi-arid regions, uses mobile technology to monitor soil health, crop… pic.twitter.com/jnAq8bgdsl

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"Through mobile technology learners monitor soil health, crop growth and weather patterns, learners enjoy their practical skills in farming," he said.

Osman said parents and pupils came for the first harvest since it was a school holiday and learners were not having meals under the school feeding programme.

He added that they will enjoy their meals with the freshly harvested kales at home.

Osman said the centre of the school practice garden was under the surveillance of CCTV cameras to ensure it was well protected.

Imran Abdullahi, a grade 6 pupil at Yathrib Primary School, the second largest Primary and Junior Secondary School with an enrolment of 2,000 learners, said they enjoyed farming at the school practice garden.

"Most of us have been influenced by the project. Today we are enjoying the harvest of kales that we have grown," he said.

A learner shows part of the kales harvest at the Yathrib Primary School Centre of Practice garden in Garissa Town, (Photo: Issa Hussein)

He said many of his friends were willing to practice the skills gained at home.

Learners at Yathrib Primary School in Garissa County are gaining skills to combat drought and food insecurity through an innovative climate-smart agriculture initiative.

On Saturday parents and pupils celebrated as they made a big harvest of kales through the modern agricultural practice, where learners gained skills using mobile technology.

"This is the first time I ever harvested kales. I am not a farmer, we only buy them from the market, our children have proven to be capable of being self-reliant," says Abdi Ahmed, a parent as he plucked the kales under the guidance of his son a grade five pupil.

He said the UK-Tech Hub-supported project was simple and would be a life changer for the community once they adopted the modern agricultural practice.

Hassan Mohamed, a parent who participated in the harvesting also acknowledged that the project will have a big impact on not only the learners but the entire community.

He said the community will embrace the knowledge gained from the school centre of practice garden equipped with 42 planting cones, designed to maximise water efficiency and support the crop's resilience in Garissa's challenging climate.

Osman Dure, the school head teacher, highlighted the importance of the project which he said was piloted at Yathrib Primary School to impart modern agricultural skills to learners and boost the school feeding programme in the Arid and Semi-Arid regions.

He said the project implemented by the 4gotten Bottommillions (4BM) and M-lugha organisation in partnership with the county government and funded by UK-Tech Hub, would help to combat food insecurity and impart learners with modern farming skills through smart agriculture.

"Through mobile technology learners monitor soil health, crop growth and weather patterns, learners enjoy their practical skills in farming," he said.

Osman said parents and pupils came for the first harvest since it was a school holiday and learners were not having meals under the school feeding programme.

He added that they will enjoy their meals with the freshly harvested kales at home.

Osman said the centre of the school practice garden was under the surveillance of CCTV cameras to ensure it was well protected.

Imran Abdullahi, a grade 6 pupil at Yathrib Primary School, the second largest Primary and Junior Secondary School with an enrolment of 2,000 learners, said they enjoyed farming at the school practice garden.

"Most of us have been influenced by the project. Today we are enjoying the harvest of kales that we have grown," he said.

He said many of his friends were willing to practice the skills gained at home.