Junior Secondary School Farming Project

At the end of March 2024, our Junior Secondary School students undertook a project for their agriculture class, which entailed planting maize from seeds and eventually harvesting them. The seeds planted were a viable breed bought from an agricultural store. Students started by clearing the field and digging holes for each individual seed. As soon as the fields were planted, they students went on their school break and waited for the seedlings to sprout. Their teachers kept an eye on the seedlings, which was a blessing as the caterpillars and aphids began attacking the plants. When the students returned, weeding was needed and some crops had to be thinned out to give room for the seedlings to mature. After this, the students began earthing. Earthing is a process of heaping soil around the base of the plant to protect it during its growth journey. When the plants reached maturity, the maize was harvested and the fruits of their labor were

shared with others.

The learning objective of this project was to equip learners with basic agricultural skills which complements the theoretical knowledge they learn in the classroom. It begins exposing students to career options which can become income generating activities in their communities, and a way of promoting food security and career awareness.