Contest entices youngsters to get into farming

VOICE of Needy Foundation embarked on an innovative way to entice youngsters to reconnect to agriculture with an official launch of its 2021 Youngsters Microfarm Contest at Saweni in Lautoka last Saturday.

The Nadi-based NGO has targeted primary school students from Year 4 to Year 13 students in secondary schools within Sigatoka,

Nadi, Lautoka and Ba corridor.

The founder of VONF Mainaz Nazrin Ali said the idea originated after she became heavily involved in backyard gardening during the current health crisis.

“I got involved with gardening during the lockdown period with my six-year-old son, who is a Year 1 student,” she said.

“I found the need to involve children in reconnecting to agriculture so that they are able to understand how to plant, nurture and harvest the vegetables they usually eat.

“It’s basically to impart the required knowledge about farming and harvesting vegetables.”

The schoolteacher added children would be able to survive during any crisis if they are taught the basic components about backyard gardening from an early age to mitigate against unprecedented times such as the COVID-19 pandemic prevalent in the country.

“They will be able to counter any situation if they are taught from an early age about the importance of food security.

“And they will also learn to save money apart from leading a healthy lifestyle by eating fresh vegetables, which is the foundation’s core values of providing sustainable assistance.”

The VONF envisaged at least 50 contestants to be a part of the contest with prize-money set aside for the winners in each category in the Year 4-8 for the primary schools and Year 9-13 in the secondary schools division.

A starter pack worth $20 would also be provided as an incentive with $50 offered to fortnightly winners before the grand prizes for first, second and third-placed contestants later in the year.

A generous sponsor from California, USA Ambed Prasad is promoting the concept.