Kerala launches 500 school-based Kathiru farming clubs in first phase

The Kerala Department of Agriculture has announced the creation of 500 Kathiru farming clubs in schools as part of Phase I of a statewide initiative, The Hindu reported. The programme aims to embed practical agricultural knowledge in the school curriculum and to nurture a generation of environmentally‑aware citizens. To kick off the venture, the department has opened a competition for schoolchildren to design the official logo of the clubs, encouraging young participants to engage creatively with the project.

Each club will be anchored in a school and will operate under the guidance of local agricultural officers and trained teachers. Activities are expected to include hands‑on gardening, seed‑saving workshops, and field trips to nearby farms. The clubs will also serve as platforms for students to learn about sustainable farming practices, climate‑resilient crops, and the economics of agriculture.

The Kathiru (meaning "seed" in Malayalam) concept was first piloted in a handful of schools two years ago, where it received positive feedback from educators and parents alike. According to The Hindu, the pilot demonstrated measurable improvements in students' understanding of nutrition and biodiversity, and it helped schools integrate farm‑to‑table lessons into science and social studies classes.

Kerala has long championed agricultural education as a tool for rural development. The state’s high literacy rate and strong public school network provide a fertile ground for such programmes. By linking schoolchildren directly with farming practices, the government hopes to counter urban migration trends and revive interest in agriculture among youth, a sector that employs a significant share of the state's workforce.

The logo design competition will run for the next six weeks, with submissions evaluated by a panel of educators, artists, and agricultural experts. Winners will have their designs adopted as the official emblem for all Kathiru clubs, and they will receive certificates and scholarships. The department plans to expand the initiative to an additional 1,000 schools in Phase II, pending the outcomes of the current rollout.