KUALA LUMPUR: The Consumers' Association of Penang (CAP) is calling on the Education Ministry to introduce agricultural activities to students at schools.
CAP education officer N.V. Subbarow said that school area and unused vacant lands should be utilised for organic farming.
He said that students nurtured with farming activities at school would be able to become good farmers on their own in the future which would ease the burden of their families by picking from their own farms.
"If students were taught agricultural education in schools, it would reduce the economic burden of their families in future.
"Green gardens can help B40 groups as the price of vegetables is very high. These families can save a lot of money by eating their own vegetables.
"It's time for the education ministry to emphasise farming education in schools and universities and teachers training colleges since many lands near their premises were not used for any purpose," he said in a statement to New Straits Times today.
A special programme was organised for the students of SJK(T) Pulau Carey Barat to promote agricultural activities to the students there.
About 40 teachers and 90 students from Kuala Langat district attended the natural farming training programme organised by CAP.
During the programme, Subbarow shared information on crop growth promoters and ways to make their own growth promoters with zero cost.
Preparation of vermicompost, insect repellants, importance of earthworms cultivation and cow dung utilisation method were demonstrated by him during the programme held recently.
"Based on our experience, many students and teachers are still unaware of planting vegetables. Schools can become a good and healthy centre to create more farmers.
"The students can send this message to their parents so that they can grow vegetables around their home," he added.
Last week, it was reported that prices of several vegetables had skyrocketed by more than 160 per cent last month.
According to CAP, the price of lady's fingers had gone up by 166 per cent from RM6 per kg last month to RM16 this month.
Similarly, long beans had doubled in price from RM6 per kg to RM12, tomatoes from RM4.50 per kg to RM10 (a 120 per cent increase), and eggplants from RM7 per kg to RM12 (a 71 per cent increase).
CAP added that several retailers, distributors and wholesalers had warned that prices of other vegetables might go up in the coming weeks.
The New Straits Times previously reported that poor weather and reduced production had led to an increase in vegetable prices.