EDUCATIONAL COOPERATION FOR ECOLOGICAL AGRICULTURE IN MUĞLA
News Author: Esma Turan
Education, Geriatrics, Ecological Agriculture, Tourism (EGET) Foundation and Muğla American Culture College (TAÇ Schools) started a project to implement ecological farming practices for students. 2,500 square meters (2.5 decares) of land within TAÇ Schools has been reserved for ecological agriculture. In this field, students will practice ecological agriculture under the leadership of EGET Foundation agricultural experts. A protocol for implementation was signed between EGET Foundation and Muğla American Culture College.
In the 2021-2022 education period, a program of uninterrupted ecological farming practices will be started at the kindergarten, primary and secondary school level.
With practice, students will learn the importance of ecological agriculture and its difference from traditional agriculture; to distinguish the main vegetable seedlings from each other; that natural fertilizers such as vermicompost and insect repellants should be used, not agricultural poisons; They will have learned that wild irrigation damages the soil and plants and that the healthiest vegetable is the one they grow.
Since students will be conscious consumers in the future, they will prefer to consume vegetables and fruits grown with ecological agricultural methods in their individual preferences; The knowledge of how important sustainable agriculture is for a country’s economy will have sprouted in them at the age of childhood.
STUDENTS WILL PLAN AND GROW SEEDINGS WITH THEIR OWN HANDS
The land allocated for ecological agriculture was prepared in accordance with the direction of the EGET Foundation and accompanied by agricultural engineers. EGET Foundation engineers will introduce vegetable seedlings in this field by explaining what ecological agriculture is in a simple way that students can understand. How to plant vegetable seedlings in the ground afterwards; They gained information on what to pay attention to when planting, how to give life water. In the following lessons, students will be informed about the issues that they should pay attention to while observing the development of the seedlings. Observation of diseases that may occur in plants; Students will be provided with practical training on how to combat them ecologically, and the use of worm castings, which is a 100% natural fertilizer, in agriculture.
“TURKEY SHOULD BE AN EXAMPLE”
Making evaluations on cooperation, EGET Foundation Chairman of the Board of Trustees Safai Özer made the following evaluation regarding the program:
“This project is very important not only for Muğla but also for Turkey. With this knowledge acquired at the kindergarten and primary education level, students will not only gain vital skills, but also gain valuabla information that they will use when they become adults and that will shape their future and therefore society; moreover, they will even be instrumental in the education of their parents in this context. We believe that this project, which will be implemented at a professional level by emphasizing the ecological dimension of agriculture, will be a pioneering project for many schools.. We are happy to cooperate with TAÇ schools..”
“WE WANT OUR STUDENTS TO BE PEOPLE WHO ASSOCIATE THE KNOWLEDGE THEY HAVE WITH THEIR LIVES”
Osman Doğan, one of the founders of Muğla American Culture College (TAÇ Schools), stated that they aim to raise awareness of ecological agriculture at a young age and said:
“As TAÇ Schools, it is our vision to link the education provided to our students and the knowledge they will acquire with every aspect of their lives. Considering that we have an important responsibility in this regard, we have taken a good step. I think that our cooperation with the EGET Foundation, which has initiatives and important works on ecological agriculture and transfers the income they earn to students as scholarships, is important. Agricultural education to be provided to kindergarten and primary school students should not remain in theory only. Studying without touching the soil, planting seedlings or witnessing the growth of the plant will result in forgetting what has been learned in a short time. We believe that this training will be permanent and its long-term benefits can be seen only with one-to-one applications in the field.”
THE PURPOSE IS TO TRANSFER CORRECT INFORMATION TO FUTURE GENERATIONS
Özlem Uzman, Chairman of the Board of EGET Foundation, also underlined the following:
“During the implementation, EGET Foundation agricultural engineers will also document the progress made by the students as supervisors. The main purpose here is for students to know and love ecological agriculture and nature better; therefore, the right information is transferred to the next generations and our country creates an infrastructure in agriculture. Today’s agriculture, where the land is used rudely; toxic chemicals are used under the name of fertilizers and pesticides to prevent diseases and pesticides are applied to the plants we eat; We can define it as a method in which water resources are consumed by wild irrigation. This method is essentially a system of making short-term gains at the expense of long-term social and environmental resources. Sustainable agriculture has emerged as a result of the need for an economically beneficial model without ignoring environmental effects. Ecological agriculture is exactly what we need today; economically accessible; proposes environmentally friendly and socially acceptable systems. The existence of soil and climatic conditions that are very suitable for agriculture in our country makes the subject much more meaningful for Turkey. We hope this project will set an example for all our primary schools.”
News : Esma Turan