Students of the Nature Club of the MET School of Engineering, Mala, have proved that engineers can be good farmers too.
Under the aegis of the club, the students launched a project for organic farming of vegetables on an acre of land on the campus with financial aid from the Agriculture Department. They used drip irrigation coupled with precision farming. They cultivated chilly, tomato, brinjal, cauliflower, ladies finger, snake guard, bitter guard, cucumbers and cow pea.
“Cultivation is purely bio-based, conventional manures only are used,” said Principal Suresh P. Venugopal.
Good demand
Nature conservation is the duty of every citizen. Young engineers have crucial role to play in this. By the cultivation of vegetables, students get hands-on experience of farming of organic vegetables, he added.
Harvesting of vegetables has started and they are auctioned among the students, staff and the local people. There is good demand for the organic vegetables.
Nature Club intends to inculcate awareness in students on the importance of nature, environmental conservation, plants and animals around them. The club observes important National and International Days connected with nature and nature conservation, participates in tree planting, recycling of waste and vegetable cultivation.