Chronicle Editor
Mkhululi Ncube, Chronicle Reporter
FAIRVIEW Adventist Primary School in Bulawayo has embarked on a farming initiative after installing a US$6 000 greenhouse project at the school.
A greenhouse protects crops from changing weather patterns and highly reduces chances of crop diseases.
The Seventh Day Adventist-run school in Parklands suburb dreams of turning itself into a green belt and is now supplying fresh vegetables to surrounding areas and market in the central business dictrict.
Acting headmaster Mr Sandson Moyo said the project was initiated by the school development committee (SDC).
“The greenhouse project started in 2019 with the aim of having a production area to generate money to cushion the school against economic volatility. We owe this to our former SDC executive committee, which was led by Mr Brett Chulu. They came up with the idea and worked hard to have this 12mX40m greenhouse project running,” said Mr Moyo.
He said the project provides the school with an alternative revenue stream instead of just relying on fees and levies.
Proceeds from the project, Mr Moyo said, are largely used to buy food for ECD learners.
“We are no longer buying vegetables as we are growing our own. This is a huge saving for us as prices outside are unpredictable. We also have a nutrition garden where we grow other vegetables that do well outside the greenhouse.
“We use the drip irrigation system for both the greenhouse and nutrition garden. Currently we have planted green and red pepper, and tomatoes hybrid 37.90 type which can be harvested for more than six months in the greenhouse,” said Mr Moyo.
Although a well-wisher helped the school drill a borehole, Mr Moyo said they need a second borehole to fulfil their dream of turning the school into a green belt.
He said Fairview has the potential to supply the market with fresh vegetables if they put all land identified for agricultural purposes within the school premises.
The school takes agriculture seriously and is already mulling plans of acquiring a farm.
“We pray God gives us life and resources to grow until we have our own farm. This will see us building a secondary school and venture into farming full time enabling us to and go beyond vegetable farming and include livestock,” he said.
The teacher in charge of the agricultural project Mrs Sindiso Moyo said they were teaching learners practical farming, which they identified with.
She said the project has helped the school address all tenets of Adventist education.
“Our education philosophy aims to produce a complete learner in all aspects of development. Pupils must learn to use their hands and we allocate them an area to work on per grade. By participating in the farming project, they gain valuable information on how to work the land for their sustenance,” she said. — @themkhust
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