Cultivating urban farmers – Madagascar’s capital has an app for that

When seventh and eighth form students arrive at the École Primaire Publique Ambohidroa #1, a primary school located in a peri-urban district of Madagascar’s capital Antananarivo, no longer do they spend their entire day inside the classroom. Instead, part of it is spent working on the school garden, where they grow petsay, bok choy, lettuce, courgettes, soy, and celery. In addition to learning agricultural skills, the students use the garden as a classroom for science and mathematics instruction.

“The students like the garden very much,” said headteacher Hendrisoa Danielle. “They practise all the time.”

The school canteen cooks up the harvest, making dishes like vary amin’ny anana, or ...