Dubai School Grows Over 100,000 kg of Fruits and Vegetables Annually with Innovative Green Initiatives

Turning 50 Square Metres into a Green Haven
In the heart of Dubai’s bustling Al Quoz district, GEMS Our Own Indian School (OIS) has achieved what many might consider a miracle: transforming just 50 square metres of land into a thriving urban farm that produces over 100,000 kilograms of fruits and vegetables each year. What started in 2015 with only two vertical garden stands has grown into a sprawling “Green School” project that covers rooftops, walls, walkways, wastelands, and even a nearby traffic roundabout.

From Small Beginnings to a Flourishing Farm
The school’s rooftop alone hosts over 500 plant pots alongside hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic farming systems made using recycled materials. Students and staff cultivate around 150 varieties of fruits and vegetables, showing how innovation and commitment can overcome space constraints in an urban environment.

Principal Lalitha Suresh expressed pride in the collective ownership the entire school community—over 3,700 students—feels toward the garden. “Every child has ownership of this garden. It belongs to all of us,” she said, highlighting the educational and community value of the project.

Inspired by Dubai Miracle Garden
Back in 2015, environmental education was mostly theoretical, relying on textbooks and pictures. Inspired by the famous Dubai Miracle Garden, Principal Suresh introduced vertical gardens to bring hands-on learning to students. The initiative aimed to reconnect children with nature in the middle of a concrete jungle, fostering environmental awareness through real-world experience.

This vision has since blossomed into one of the UAE’s most recognised school-based sustainability models, earning the school the Green School Award at the Sharjah Sustainability Awards along with the “Model School” title and a Dh15,000 grant to expand further.

Innovative Farm-to-Family App Connects Community
An Amazon-style app developed by Grade 11 students Abdul Rahman Sufiyan Maniar and Aman Sanoj allows parents and teachers to order fresh produce directly from the school farm. This digital innovation facilitates seamless tracking, ordering, and collection of fruits and vegetables while generating revenue to sustain the green initiatives.

Selvarance Johnson, the retiring Manager of School Operations and the pioneering force behind the project, highlighted how this system has helped connect the garden with the wider school community. Johnson, a long-time sustainability advocate at OIS since 1998, views the garden as the school’s soul—a source of lessons, stories, and mental relaxation for staff and students alike.

Sustainability Integrated Into Learning
At GEMS OIS, sustainability is not just a side project but a core part of the curriculum. Kindergarteners routinely walk through the vertical gardens to observe plant growth and pollination, documenting their findings in science journals. Older students undertake complex studies such as measuring carbon monoxide impacts and comparing growth patterns across campus.

The water used for irrigation is sourced sustainably, recycling up to 5,000 litres daily of air conditioning drain water into storage tanks, reinforcing the school’s commitment to resource efficiency.

Organic and High-Tech Farming Methods
The school’s journey began with simple vertical gardens and organic farming using natural fertilizers like cow dung, compost, neem cake, and recycled food waste. It has now evolved to incorporate cutting-edge hydroponic, aquaponic, and aeroponic systems, all crafted from recycled materials.

“Starting aquaponic farming was a student-driven idea,” said Johnson, noting how hands-on involvement has made students familiar with diverse farming techniques.

Student-Led Environmental Action
Beyond gardening, students lead eco-clubs, organise clean-up campaigns, and run recycling drives, embedding sustainability into daily school life. Student Dishitha Vasudev proudly states, “Our school doesn’t just talk about sustainability—it lives it.”

Environment Council President Richa Thilak emphasised the deep impact of these initiatives: “Being part of a school that genuinely cares about nature has inspired all of us to think and act differently.”

Beyond Gardening: Holistic Sustainability Practices
Secondary school teacher and Environment Coordinator Shilpa Solomon George explained that the school also promotes sustainable living through:

• Composting vegetable waste
• Replacing single-use plastics with ceramic mugs and jute bags
• Running the Tree Wise pencil campaign using recycled paper
• Hosting eco-competitions and green awareness initiatives
   

OIS regularly invites students from other CBSE and international schools to learn about its green practices and hosts “Grow Your Own Food” competitions involving parents, spreading the sustainability message beyond campus.

A Decade of Growth and Impact
Since planting its first vertical garden ten years ago, the school’s annual produce yield has skyrocketed from 1,500 kg to over 100,000 kg. More importantly, it has nurtured generations of students who understand and care about environmental stewardship deeply.

What Grows at GEMS OIS?
The school cultivates a rich variety of produce including:

• Fruits: Mango, papaya, lemon, mulberry, strawberry, sapodilla (chiku), water apple, fig, pomegranate, orange, olive, sweet lime, various melons
• Leafy greens: Multiple types of spinach, coriander, fenugreek, celery, mustard, curry leaves, beetroot, pumpkin, and more
• Gourds: Ivy, bitter, bottle, sponge, ash, snake, ridge
• Beans: Cluster, white & green metre, long, flat, violet, French, winged
• Chillies & peppers: Kanthari, capsicum varieties
• Other vegetables: Tomatoes, squash, ladies finger (okra), radish, corn, yam, potato, groundnut, cabbage, cauliflower
• Flowers: Pumpkin and agathi (Sesbania grandiflora) in white and pink
   

Conclusion: A Model of Urban Sustainability and Education
GEMS Our Own Indian School’s decade-long journey demonstrates how creativity, community involvement, and sustainable practices can transform limited urban spaces into vibrant green oases. Their integrated approach—blending education, technology, and environmental care—serves as an inspiring blueprint for schools worldwide striving to foster eco-conscious future generations.