Use of renewable energy to enhance sustainability of the mid-day meal program in schools

A comprehensive and replicable concept that was aimed at demonstrating the use of environmentally sustainable renewable energy device for cooking, raising an energy plantation and growing a bio-intensive school garden to address the above issues was pilot tested in three rural primary schools in the semi-arid area of Ramdurg taluk, Belgaum district, Karnataka, with the active participation of children and local communities. The concept focused on a decentralized community approach to enhance the use of local resources in an environmentally sustainable manner. The pilot test proved that the concept could be replicated and customized to the needs of any community where similar issues exist.