Students in BMC schools will learn about organic farming and home gardening alongside their regular studies. BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani has ordered to impart this education to students in more than 100 BMC schools.
A BMC official confirmed that funds would soon be allocated for this initiative. The official added that students would not only learn organic farming in school but could also apply these skills at home. The program will focus on cultivating plants such as basil, aloe vera, and flowers.
The initiative will be implemented with the support of BMC’s Garden Department. As part of a pilot program, students have already started growing green vegetables on school rooftops, which are being used in the mid-day meal scheme. Under the City Gardening Project, the plan will initially be introduced in 250 schools across Mumbai, with approval already granted for over 100 schools.
Pilot Project to Begin in Matunga and Chembur
According to the BMC Education Department, the pilot project is being launched in Matunga and Chembur. At a school in Matunga East, 154 participants—including students, staff, and parents—successfully experimented with rooftop gardening. Students have been learning to cultivate crops such as moong, matki, maize, and coriander.
Vegetables to Be Used in Mid-Day Meals
“This urban farming initiative will help students understand agricultural practices, even in limited spaces,” said a BMC official. They will gain knowledge about farming techniques and vegetable cultivation. Notably, any surplus vegetable production will be used in the school’s mid-day meal program.
Mumbai has 1,146 BMC schools across its 24 wards, and the plan is to implement rooftop gardening in 600 to 700 of these schools.
