What can a school do with just 50 square metres of land for a garden? At GEMS Our Own Indian School (OIS) in Dubai, it turns out they can even produce over 100,000kg of fruits and vegetables a year.
In a city known for skyscrapers and sand, this school in Al Quoz has turned its limited open space into a flourishing farm, thanks to a decade-long project that began in 2015 with just two vertical garden stands. Today, the "Green School" project sprawls across every available surface—from strips along walkways and compound walls to rooftops, and even nearby wastelands and the traffic roundabout.
With over 500 plant pots on the rooftop, hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic systems, and reused materials, students and staff members now grow around 150 varieties of fruits and vegetables, showing that space is not a limit when your roots run deep in purpose.
"It's nothing short of a miracle that can happen in such a small place in a school that is crowded," said Principal Lalitha Suresh.
Read more at Gulf News