MICROVEG TEACHES YOUNG VEGETABLES SCIENTIST CLUB (YVSC) AND TEACHERS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS NEW METHODS OF INDIGENOUS VEGETABLES PRODUCTION

Under-utilized indigenous vegetables are extremely important to poor rural women in West Africa, but their production is generally low (yields and quality) due to lack of technical know-how, acute soil fertility and land degradation problems. The project has a major component dealing with empowering secondary schools, through the Young Vegetables Scientist Club (YVSC) and training of teachers to take part in vegetables production business as a way of building future entrepreneurs and agricultural champions for tomorrow. We are therefore forming and nurturing young vegetable scientists clubs (YVSC) in secondary schools in Nigeria and Benin Republic. Each YVSC is to:

• Plan for meeting time and venue : it could be on the school farm or in a classroom
• Discuss the plans for the vegetable farm with MicroVeg team and NGO.
• Select the leaders or officers
• Create a schedule of duties for members of the club for handling different roles
• Document all farm activities in a workbook e.g. date of land preparation, date of planting, date of disease control, date of harvesting, quantity harvested, quantity sold, how much per unit, how much total revenue.
• Take attendance at all meeting.