- NORTH UNION SECONDARY SCHOOL AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMME GETS BOOST
Students engaged in the Agriculture Science program at the North Union Secondary school are making use of modem irrigation technology.
This, as the Ministry of Agriculture, OSV and Xylem (an international company which specialises in water solutions), equipped the school with a solar irrigation system.
The equipment pumps water from nearby a river into a storage tank using solar energy. The water is then sent to the crops via a drip irrigation system. In an interview with the API on Tuesday March 12, Minister of Agriculture Hon. Saboto Caesar said the irrigation system is expected to boost productivity of the farm and this project will be used as a model which can then be adopted nationally.
Speaking during a demonstration of the irrigation system, Global Product Manager at Xylem Matteo Cafiero said the system is easy to set up, the pump itself is light weight and energy efficient as it only requires two solar panels to operate.
He said this system is perfect for farmers living close to a river and possess a good storage tank.
The drip irrigation kit which delivers water directly to the plants was provided by local company OSV. OSV’ s representative Scott Ward said the entity is delighted to partner with the school and the Ministry of Agriculture on a project which can assist in boosting this country’s food security.
He said the company is looking to expand its services to provide both traditional and exotic seeds for the farming community.
