The students of Pathordohora school in West Bengal grow and consume vegetables from their school nutrition garden. Pathordohora village in the Jhargram district of West Bengal has made this exceptional change which makes them distinct from others.

Latika Murmu loves to have green vegetables served with the Mid-Day Meal (MDM). She says now our plates have safe-to-eat food. Many students like Latika are now getting nutritious food in their Mid-Day Meals.
The government of India started the mid-day meal programme to combat “classroom hunger” and to motivate underprivileged kids to attend school and pay attention in class. Though MDM provides basic nutritious food to the children, sometimes it fall insufficient for the tribal children whose food and nutritional requirements are a little different.

The ‘School Nutrition Garden’ concept was proposed by the farmer’s group of the U3 programme to fulfil the additional nutritional requirement of the children and improve the quality and quantity of MDM services. The suggestion was welcomed in the meeting organized by the U3 programme which fosters and strengthens people’s institutions for the empowerment of communities for the sustained process.

The farmer group headed by Raban Nayek, Haren Bhakta and Tara Bhakta discussed the proposal of setting up a nutrition garden on the school premises with the Headmaster of Pathordohara Primary School.
In the school, a nutrition garden was developed by the farmers in 2 khatas of land which is now managed by the school children. The nutrition garden is full of different types of vegetables which are grown without the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Students are happy as they monitor the nutrition garden and collect the required vegetables for cooking everyday.

Caritas India and Seva Kendra Calcutta team supported the effort in capacity building of the group in managing the garden. School teachers, volunteers and students wholeheartedly engaged in the upkeep of their dream garden flourishing with vegetables like cauliflower, snake beans, radish, carrot, spinach, tomato and cabbage.

Similar nutrition gardens are springing up across the nearby areas with the support of farmer’s groups to add value and quality to MDM in schools. The actions promoted by the U3 programme have empowered the community to take collective action to resolve their issue.