Kamil Muslim College in Yalalevu, Ba, is taking the lead in supporting the local community with fresh leafy vegetables through the establishment of nurseries and the sale of their produce.
Assistant mathematics and physics teacher Rinal Prasad emphasized that this initiative will also serve as a revenue stream for the school.
“Our vision is to transform Kamil Muslim College into a sustainability hub by undertaking all green projects. Prior to this, we have implemented a Bio duster and installed both on-grid and off-grid solar panels,” he said.
Prasad mentioned that the school has already installed hydroponic systems.
“We have expanded our beehive farm and now plan to implement hydroponics to provide fresh leafy vegetables to students and nearby communities. With over 5,000 residents nearby, we also plan to expand this hydroponics initiative,” he said.
He added that the long-term goal is to scale up to approximately 400 plants per month.
“We intend to purchase the remaining seedlings from Go Global, where prices range from 15 to 20 cents per seedling. Once the lettuce or other vegetables are ready, we aim to sell them for $2 to $2.50 each, depending on size. We will sell these vegetables,” he said.
“There are numerous advantages. Although the initial setup cost is high, it becomes easier and more beneficial over time. We use nutrient-based water and operate without soil, as it’s hydroponics. It falls under horticulture and is a subset of hydroculture. We have started with lettuce and plan to cultivate cabbage and other vegetables like coriander.”
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