Applications are now open for eligible schools to apply for the 2023 edition of the School Farm Competition organised by Blue Skies Foundation in collaboration with the Kosmos Innovation Center.
The School Farm Competition is an agricultural school project challenge that aims to increase the desire and participation of young people (students) in agriculture. The competition seeks to reorient the youth to see agriculture as an income generating venture while improving Ghana’s food security.
The competition will give high priority to eligible schools that demonstrate in their applications, high female participation and innovation in their farms’ approach. In addition, the competition will pay attention to students who exhibit exceptional qualities in the project implementation. Deserving schools and students will win prizes at an award ceremony that will climax the end of the competition for this year.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for the 2023 competition, the school:
-Must be a private or public Junior or Senior High school.
-Must be in Greater Accra, Ashanti, Bono East, Bono Region, Central, Eastern, Northern, Upper East, Upper West, Volta or Western regions.
-Must have access to land or any other planting medium.
-Must have a minimum land or planting medium size of 50m by 50m.
-Must have an accessible, reliable, safe and permanent source of water.
After 8th February 2023, evaluators will complete selection of schools to participate in the 2023 competition. Schools will be selected based on the strength of the answers provided in the application form.
Requirement for competing schools
Selected schools will be required to:
-Demarcate an area of land or planting medium of choice.
-Select crop choice from the crop catalogue.
-Keep a diary and photographs to record your progress.
-Develop a business plan to sustain the farm throughout the competition.
Farm assessment
The school farm assessment team will visit selected schools periodically to provide support where needed, and assess the performance of schools based on the following criteria:
-Evidence of Good Agricultural Practice throughout the competition.
-Evidence of what has been learnt by the students.
-Evidence of involvement by the students.
-Evidence of engagement with the local community.
-Evidence of biodiversity protection and an understanding of the reasons for doing so.
-Evidence of innovation in farm operation.
-Evidence of a convincing and viable sustainability plan.
Application
Interested schools, should fill and submit this online application form by the close of business on Wednesday 8th February 2023.
Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted.
