BHUBANESWAR: To encourage students to take up urban gardening and to access clean and green vegetables, students and teachers of Sri Aurobindo School of Integral Education , Khandagiri in the city developed a nutritional garden in their school premises. They have grown leafy vegetables, some perennial plants and seasonal vegetables and also harvested the first produce of green vegetables from their 'nutritional garden'."To inculcate a habit of healthy eating among children we thought of developing a nutritional garden in our school premises. Children were very interested and many of them have helped in gardening during their free time. They prepared fields, planted saplings and eagerly waited for the fruits to come. The happiness on their faces in the first harvest was really amazing and they realise the importance of organic food," said principal of the school Rabindra Nath Padhi.The nutritional garden spread across around an area of 1000 square feet, where the students have grown plants like leafy vegetables like Amaranthus (Poi), coriander, mint and vegetables like tomato, beans, bitter gourd, cucumber, ivy gourd, ridge gourd, cow pea, brinjal, pumpkin, lady's finger and green chillies. Besides, some perennial plants like drum sticks, papaya, jackfruits and curry leaves have also been planted."As part of the India for Eco Food Campaign we approached schools to have nutritional gardens to create awareness among students about healthy and organic food. We discussed them on effect of junk food, fast food and pesticides on their health and to take up gardening at home as well," said Jagatabandhu Mohapatra, project coordinator of India for Eco Food Campaign. Similar gardens have been planned in five more schools in the city.The school with around 100 students staying in hostel the garden has become a source of fresh, healthy and green vegetables for the hostel."We planted many creepers and also some bushy vegetables, which did not require much space. And plants like coriander and green chillies are an added taste booster for the hostel," said Padhi.Children are also taught about healthy food practices like millets and there are plans to include it in their food habits, Mohapatra added.

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