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From School Garden to Home Garden
Aruna Dharshana Wanasinghe
Trincomalee, Peradeniya July 2003
The school garden-to-home garden programme is one of the activities supported by the Department of Agriculture and the Integrated Food Security Programme Trincomalee to increase the availability and accessibility of food. From the year 2000 to date 55 schools participated. The curriculum includes agriculture as a subject for grade seven and eight. The school garden-to-home garden programme combines theory and practical experience.
Agricultural clubs were formed in each school consisting of eight students and a teacher. Basic agricultural training was provided by the Department of Agriculture. Vegetable plant nurseries and school gardens were established in the school premises and the vegetable seedlings were sold to households.
The study was conducted to determine the overall adoption level of home gardens by the households in Trincomalee district as an impact of the school garden programme. The results are encouraging.
72% of the students had passed on information about the school garden programme to their family members. A total of 68% had provided such information to junior students of their schools or in their neighbourhood. 90% of the students planted the seedlings at home. The major problem that they encountered was fencing (61%). Knowledge (90%), practical skills (61%) and opportunities for self-employment (32%) were the main benefits gained.
Male headed households (58%) are prominent in the district. The highest proportion of households (30%) had the attitude score of 34 to 36 (out of 50) towards the SGP. Eggplant (brinjal), Chilli and Capsicum were the seedlings preferred by the households (42%). The mean extent of the home garden was 0.69 acres. More than one-third of the respondents had to travel 21 to 30 km to buy necessary inputs. The highest proportion of the households (30%) received information from the agricultural instructor in the region and to about 16% from the students, i.e. from their children.
For the selected agriculture practices, 36% of households scored in the range of 14 to 17 for knowledge (maximum score of 27). Also 32% of them scored in the same range for adoption of selected agriculture practices. Almost all the students and 58% of households wanted the programme to be continued. 88% of households used home gardening for their daily food requirements.
The majority (60%) of households had an overall adoption score of 7 to 9 out of 15. Inputs were the critical factor in doing home gardening. Significant positive correlation of the overall adoption score were found with information received for ‘sound agricultural practices’ (SAP) and knowledge levels of SAP. Knowledge and adoption of the SAP were also positively correlated. Cultivation pattern (Yala and Maha) had an association with the overall adoption. Knowledge levels of SAP and cultivation pattern had a significant association with the overall adoption score.
The study concludes that students could be instrumental in disseminating agricultural information. The services of the private sector need to be promoted for a better supply of inputs and accessibility of technology.
pdf 730 KB Technical Paper 29 From School to Home Garden
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