The session officially began at 11:45 AM with a brief introduction to the topic and the Resource Person, Mr K. Praveena, delivered by Ms Fida. This was followed by Ms Spandana, who presented a detailed introduction of the guest, highlighting his vast knowledge and experience in horticulture.
Mr K. Praveena, Senior Assistant Director, Department of Horticulture, Mangaluru Taluk, then addressed the gathering. He began by stressing the importance and benefits of growing our own food and plants instead of depending on store-bought products. To make his talk engaging, he displayed images of successful terrace, balcony, and backyard gardens, demonstrating the practicality of urban gardening.
He elaborated on various aspects of sustainable gardening, including:
• Nutritional benefits of homegrown produce versus store-bought items.
• Harmful effects of chemicals used in commercial products.
• Economic advantages of self-sustained gardening.
• Methods of setting up gardens in terraces, balconies, grow bags, or shelves.
• Different plants suitable for small-scale urban gardening.
Mr Praveena also explained the essentials required for effective gardening and demonstrated the correct way of preparing soil mixtures. He showed how to combine sand, soil, compost, and biomix/coco-peat in the right proportions for healthy plant growth. Students actively participated in this hands-on demonstration by touching and examining the mixture to understand the required consistency.
The session concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Ms Pranathi, followed by a token of appreciation presented to the resource person by Mrs Seementhini Fernandes.
The training was insightful and enriching, leaving students and faculty motivated to adopt sustainable practices that benefit individuals, communities, and the environment.
