Self reliance education in schools, as advocated by the late father of the nation Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere, is almost dying a natural death in most schools. Upon realizing this problem, Trust St. Patrick Schools established a school farm, located 1.5 kilometers north of the school compound just opposite Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Olosiva. This move is in line with the compliance to self-reliance in schools. Our school farm is more than a traditional farm because it has the added advantage of having a greenhouse. Trust St. Patrick Schools' students and pupils are exposed to greenhouse farming technology and learning how to make effective use of farmland. The advantage of greenhouse farming over traditional farming is that in a greenhouse one can have crops all year round. Obviously, when you harvest your crops out of season they are likely to command high prices.

The students also cultivate diverse crops such as vegetables, maize, and beans, including highly-priced crops like capsicum, lettuce, and cucumber, which are among the major cash crops. The farm also has two fish ponds - measuring 15 by 30 meters - each of which can accommodate more than 4000 fish that are able to mature within 7 months. Needless to say, an investment in establishing a school farm can result in a significant saving in the food budget, besides students benefiting from self-reliance education. As part of the celebrations of the 20th Anniversary of the school, we are happy to open the greenhouse to neighbors, parents, and the general public. We invite our neighbors to take full advantage of the school farm by buying some of their daily supplies from there. We urge parents to enroll their children with Trust St. Patrick Schools.

Benefits Of School Farm

• Students are introduced to new farming skills and technology.
• The school farm serves as a rich learning tool.
• Students are able to identify plants and animals according to their biological classifications. This helps them identify the characteristics and benefits of plants and animals that are domesticated for food.
• Support for the national agricultural development revolution.
• Produce from the school farm provides the school community with organic foods.
• Building self-esteem and encouraging self-employment.

The farm has a constant and reliable water supply and fertile soil suitable for the cultivation of crops and vegetables. Like many other co-curricular activities, the school farm is designed for the majority of students who are interested in agricultural production activities. Students are able to undergo practice a number of necessary farming practices such as:

• The need to rotate crops
• The uses and application of manure and fertilizers
• Crop planting and spacing
• How to till the soil before planting
• How and why we need our farms soil conservation techniques
• Preparing seed beds and tree nurseries.