4 days ago
Farm to plate summer camp bridges gap in agri education for students
Mandya: Many children today lack opportunities to learn where their food comes from or understand the basics of farming, nutrition, and mindful eating. To bridge this gap, Polygnan, a non-profit founded by US-returned NRIs and ex-tech professionals Chandana Shivanand and Prajwal Rajendra Prasad, organised the Farm to Plate summer camp in Mandya from May 26 to June 1.
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The free week-long camp brought together students from classes 7–10 from various backgrounds to explore the full journey of food—from farm to plate.
The camp began with fireless cooking to create a warm, collaborative environment. They took a deep dive into agriculture at the Mandya-based VC Farm, which is attached to the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru. Here, students engaged with professors and field experts, learning about various crops, agricultural implements, soil testing, composting, biofertilisers, irrigation methods, and rare fruits and vegetables, the organisers said.
Children also sowed maize seeds and helped prepare the land, experiencing the rhythm and labour of farming first hand.
Students explored mushroom cultivation, recognising its nutritional and entrepreneurial potential. At a traditional 'ale mane', students witnessed the labour-intensive process of boiling sugarcane juice to prepare jaggery.
Milk was explored from start to finish. Children visited a cattle rearing farm near Arkere and visited the Mandya Milk Union plant at Gejjalgere, which processes over 13 lakh litres of milk every day.
