Empowering the Next Generation: The School Farm Of the Year Project

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Blue Skies, in partnership with Kosmos Innovation Centre, proudly presents the “School Farm of the Year” project, an annual recognition program that celebrates excellence in school farming across Ghana. This visionary project seeks to inspire and transform the younger generation while contributing substantially to Ghana’s economy through agriculture.

The Radio 1 Morning Show recently featured interviews with beneficiaries of this remarkable endeavour, including Mr Kojo Antwi, a dedicated teacher from Sikaa D/A Nkoronza North in the Bono East region; Mr Nashirudin Namula, another committed teacher from Guropie T.I Hamediyah in the Upper East region, and a representative from Ghana Senior High, Tamale (Ghanasco).

Mr. Kojo Antwi enthusiastically shared the numerous benefits his school reaped from the project. They successfully cultivated garden eggs, generating substantial funds that will be reinvested in both school and community development. He emphasized the importance of not portraying weeding as a punishment to students, fostering a positive attitude towards agriculture.

“Last year, our headmistress informed us about this project. We were happy and ready to be part of this, we started with 80 students out of 105, and currently, we have planted garden eggs. Blue Skies and Kosmos Innovation Centre gave us seeds, farm implements, PPEs and all needed farm inputs for the project and competition and ours was to cultivate and take care of the crops,” he said.

He added that “after earning a lot from this project the students have come to know the importance of agriculture. I urge teachers to educate students on this, not to see farming as punishment. Thank you Blue Skies and Kosmos Innovation Centre.”

Mr Nashirudin Namula highlighted their achievement in growing sweet pepper with the support of Blue Skies and the Kosmos Innovation Centre. He urged all schools to participate, acknowledging the significant impact of the project on the students and the neighbouring communities.

“I actually heard it from the former assistant head teacher of WA Senior High Technical School. We applied and started growing sweet pepper, which has been of good help to the school.  I, therefore, recommend this project to all schools in Ghana to join because this is a good project from Blue Skies and Kosmos Innovation Centre,” Mr. Nashirudin Namula explained.

The School Farm of the Year initiative aims to inspire young minds to consider farming as a rewarding career option. It not only nurtures the farmers of tomorrow but also educates students on agriculture and farming as a business. Participants receive training in agronomy and cultivate a variety of crops on their school’s land.

Prizes are awarded based on entrepreneurship, innovation, and farm success, encouraging schools to excel in their agricultural endeavours and contribute to the nation’s agricultural growth. This initiative is a beacon of hope for the future of farming in Ghana, fostering a generation passionate about agriculture and its potential to drive economic prosperity.

Source: Quincy-Jones Sesay/Radio1online