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"My Backyard is My World" Initiative

About 5000 children and 30 schools joined the organic agriculture workshops


The students of the 1st C of the S. Gens Basic School, in Senhora da Hora, were last Friday, February 24th, at the Monte de S. Brás Ecological Park for another environmental workshop "My Backyard is My World".

After reading the popular story "O Nabo Gigante" by António Mota, a work from the National Reading Plan recommended for the 2nd year of schooling, the children were introduced to some concepts related to organic farming. Equipped with the "Storyteller Apron" (an apron made of various reusable materials and where the various characters and places in the story are represented), the municipal technicians explained the advantages of reusing materials we no longer use and told the story of the giant turnip, taking the opportunity to explain the importance of water and light in cultivation, and to familiarize the children with some words associated with the themes of agriculture, environment and sustainability.

The students then went on a "trip" to learn about agriculture outside the Ecological Park. In egg cartons made of biodegradable material they put some soil and sowed leeks, tomatoes and lettuce, but also some flowers, such as sunflowers and carnations, plants that help protect the garden.

After learning how to sow and after being given some information about how to work the soil and take care of the garden from sowing to harvesting, the students from EB S. Gens' 1st grade were able to transport the sown egg cartons to their school where, later on, with the necessary care, they will grow plants. The environmental technicians from the City Council will, whenever necessary, monitor the evolution of these seeds and the development of the school garden.

The project "My Backyard is My World" began in 2017 and aims, in partnership with schools, to encourage the practice of organic farming and the cultivation of a plot of land, which can be located in the school or, if it has no place to build a vegetable garden, in the Monte de S. Brás Ecological Park.

So far, 30 schools and about 5000 students, from pre-school to higher education through vocational education, have already joined this project, and by the end of this school year, the involvement of 10 more schools is expected.

If you are interested in the environmental workshops "My Backyard is My World", you can register your school by calling 964598506 or by emailing ammamatosinhos@cm-matosinhos.pt

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