Kamil Muslim College in Yalalevu, Ba, is leading an initiative to support the local community by producing and selling fresh leafy vegetables through newly established nurseries.
Assistant mathematics and physics teacher Rinal Prasad emphasized that this project aims to generate additional income for the school.
“Our vision is to transform Kamil Muslim College into a sustainability hub. We are embarking on various green projects. Previously, we have implemented a Bio duster and installed both on-grid and off-grid solar panels,” he explained.
The school has already set up hydroponic systems.
“We have expanded our beehive farm and now plan to utilize hydroponics to supply fresh leafy vegetables to students and nearby communities. With more than 5000 residents in the area, we aim to broaden this hydroponics initiative,” he added.
Prasad mentioned the long-term goal of scaling up to approximately 400 plants per month.
“We plan to purchase additional seedlings from Go Global, where prices range from 15 to 20 cents per seedling. Once the lettuce or other vegetables are grown, we intend to sell them for $2 to $2.50 each, depending on size,” he said.
“There are many benefits. Although the initial setup cost is high, it becomes more advantageous over time. We use nutrient-rich water without soil, as it’s based on hydroponics. This practice falls under horticulture and is a part of hydroculture. We have started with lettuce and plan to grow cabbage and other vegetables like coriander.”