Throughout March and April, the participants of the «School Garden» network received planting material, agricultural equipment and additional equipment for the agricultural season 2020.

This winter and the beginning of spring have shown how important it is for each of us to have a strong immunity and help our body to increase resistance to all kinds of infections. That is why the participants of the «School Garden» network in Belarus, which includes 28 schools of Vitebsk, Gomel and Minsk regions, have already started to take care of healthy vitamin diet of their students. During the preparation for the agricultural season in February, March and early April, the schools received the necessary equipment, planting material, agricultural equipment and information materials, according to their needs and the level of support, which was determined by the results of the II open competition «School garden».

Each school has its own development plan for the school garden. For example, schools in Paporotnoe, Ut and Ostashkovichi of Gomel region consider the development of vegetable plantations - tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers - more promising, so there is a need for greenhouses and irrigation systems. In spring, more emphasis is placed on the cultivation of seedlings, both for the needs of the school and for sale to the local citizens. Schoolchildren are interested in caring for plants.  By the way, some schools, such as Paporotnianskaya, have already grown the first greenery in the new greenhouses, which will soon reach the schoolchildren's canteen. In Paporotnianskaya school of Zhlobin district a walk-behind tractor with attachments has also appeared and a classroom for classes has been additionally equipped.

Potential educational and production incubators in Luzhki of Sharkovshchina district and Parafyanovo of the Dokshitsy district received additional attachments for walk-behind tractors, as well as laptops and multimedia equipment. This equipment will help not only to conduct spring sowing efficiently and rationally, but also to organize seminars on such project directions as organic agricultural technologies, entrepreneurship, marketing, tourism and crafts for students and youth of their settlements and suburbs. 

Many schools focus on garden development - the cultivation and growing of berry bushes and fruit trees, so they need more good seedlings. For example, Bobovka School will start growing blueberries, summer raspberries, garden strawberries, peaches and nectarines this year.  Zalesie School will expand its garden with trees of column-shaped cherries and felt cherries. And not only for berries, but also for the production of seedlings, which is considered a promising business area here. So, in a short time, seedlings of cherries will complement the existing offer: strawberries, currants, grapes, blueberries. To care for the garden, all schools received agricultural equipment. Some had quite specific requests, for example, Yurtsevo School got a bush cutter and a chainsaw.

Already now schools are thinking about processing and storage of berries, vegetables and fruits received, so this season Velikodoletskaya school asked for help with refrigeration equipment.

It is worth noting that the project EU4Youth: "School Garden" for the development of agricultural entrepreneurship", funded by the European Union, also provides ongoing information and methodological support to the network participants. Therefore, in early April, the thematic coordinator of the project, Vladimir Pustoshilo, visited 7 schools in Gomel region, gave recommendations on the development plan of the school gardens, and brought visual and information materials of the project.

We hope the result of good preparation at the beginning of the season will be a rich harvest of organic products, which will support the health of schoolchildren, teachers and local residents, as well as knowledge of different areas of agriculture and entrepreneurship, which will help young people choose their path and settle in life.

See photos from Vitebsk region

See photos from Gomel region 

---

This publication has been produced with the support of the European Union and the Green Cross International. Responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the public organization “Green Cross Belarus”, and it can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union and Green Cross International.