Kannur: When asked about future aspirations, everyone will have a desire to tell. This seventh grader has only one thing to say about his ambition: “I want to be an agriculture officer”. The child has been living with this desire for some time.

Now, Nihal has been selected as the best student farmer by the Department of Agriculture. He is a seventh-grade student at KMJ English Medium School in Kanjirode.

His desires developed wings when Nihal received the district level award from the Department of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Welfare. Moreover, his School won the Best Educational Institution Award and the Best Institutional Head Award.

Nihal collected around Rs 3,000 from a vegetable fair organized by the school. He was excited to share with his friends the story of collecting four bunches of bananas from his own garden.

Inspired by the extensive vegetable cultivation at the school, Nihal decided to set up a small garden at home. Vegetable seeds are supplied to the school from Munderi Krishi Bhavan and Nihan prepares his home garden using them.

Nihal spent most of his time in the vegetable garden when the school remained closed due to Covid. Now a days, he finds time for watering and taking care of the garden before and after school. His father, mother land elder sister are always there to help Nihal.