In Mangaluru, the relentless rains this season have severely impacted school kitchen gardens, which provide fresh produce for midday meals. Typically, schools initiate their kitchen garden activities at the end of July, once the rains taper off. However, this year’s persistent downpours extended well into September, hampering gardening efforts.
Several schools that embarked on vegetable cultivation faced challenges, with many plants failing to thrive or yielding poorly. Consequently, some institutions have deferred their kitchen garden projects to the following week. For example, DKZP Higher Primary Aided School in Kutlur, Belthangady taluk, which cultivates various local vegetables on half an acre, now plans to commence gardening in the second week of September. “We usually start our garden work on Independence Day, but the continuous rain has pushed our schedule back,” noted K Ramachandra Bhat, the school’s in-charge. The school grows vegetables like cucumber, cowpea, ivy gourd, and spinach, which are used for midday meals and sold locally when in excess.
Similarly, DK Zilla Panchayat Higher Primary School in Bokkapatna-3, Mangaluru, faced flooding in their usual garden area due to heavy rains. Headmistress Dresil Lilly Menezes mentioned that, with the rains subsiding slightly, the school is now considering starting a terrace garden.
Some schools that faced poor results with their initial attempts are replanting their crops. “We lost our cowpeas, and spinach growth has been slow,” shared one teacher.
Jnanesh MP, executive officer of Akshara Dasoha in Dakshina Kannada, emphasized that all schools are required to maintain a kitchen garden for their midday meals. For schools lacking space, alternative solutions like pot gardening or terrace gardens are encouraged. “The goal is to educate students on food cultivation, plant care, and environmental conservation,” he added.
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