The Saliu Mustapha Foundation has partnered with the National School Agribusiness Initiative (NSAIN) to encourage student farming in schools.
The initiative aims to promote practical agriculture among school pupils through the establishment of school farms, with the goal of fostering students’ interest in agribusiness.
NSAIN is a national program that has selected Kwara State as one of the ten participating states. The program aims to address the negative perception students have towards agriculture by showcasing its profitability through the generation of income from the school farm.
Representatives from the Saliu Mustapha Foundation, Alh. Ambali Adebayo, and the NSAIN coordinator visited the approved schools for commencement of the planting activities.
Adebayo stated that the foundation has partnered with the organization to encourage students’ involvement in agriculture.
He said, “At the Saliu Mustapha Foundation, we have joined hands with the school agribusiness initiative. Agriculture is not only a challenging and stimulating occupation but also a source of income that can contribute to a thriving environment. Therefore, I encourage you to practice agriculture.”
For this project, Orange Flesh Sweet Potatoes (OFSP) have been selected due to their three-month gestation period and various economic and health benefits associated with the crop.
The school farm will serve as a demonstration farm and will also generate additional income for school administrators, which can be used to finance basic school infrastructure through the sale of the farm produce.
Habeeb Lawal, the National Coordinator of NSAIN, announced that twenty public schools in Kwara State have been approved for the program. Each school is expected to yield 750kg of harvest, as they have been provided with 500 vines of OFSP and organic fertilizer.
