Maharashtra teacher starts 'school farm' to prevent migration

Babu Changdev More, a teacher at the Zilla Parishad School in Palghar's Khomarpada, started a unique farming initiative in the school's premises to prevent migration. Poor families which were once forced to migrate to cities to find work, can now stay back and work in the school's farm itself to earn their livelihood.

Palghar: In a unique initiative, a teacher from Maharashtra's Palghar district started farming in the village school premises to prevent mass migration of families to the cities.

Babu Changdev More, who teaches at the Zilla Parishad School at Khomarpada in the district's Dolhari Budruk village, started farming activities in the school premises with the help of another teacher Santosh Patil.

Families which were once forced to migrate to other cities for work, can now stay back in the village and work at the school's farm.

More, who hails from Beed district, started planting seeds of various crops in the school premises in collaboration with the taluka panchayat and agriculture office in 2016.

As many as 35 families from the village used to migrate to cities like Mumbai, Bhiwandi, and Vasai to get employment in brick kilns and construction projects. As a result, the strength in the school would see a decline.

More then spoke to the migrants about the importance of their children's education, and told them he intended to provide them employment in the school's farm itself.

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Vegetables like okra, brinjal, spinach, fenugreek, ginger, potatoes, and onions are now being grown in the school's premises.

More's initiative drew financial support from non-government organistaions as well, as Mumbai-based Akshardhara donated Rs 1.35 lakh for onion cultivation.

Due to the sale of the harvested agricultural produce in the local markets, the migrant families are now employed.

Thanks to the employment to the migrant families, enrollment in the school also saw an increase in 2018, More claimed.

Further, many of the teachers themselves bought the onions during the lockdown period while some organisations in Mumbai and other villagers too bought the produce to support the endeavour.

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