*Students Sing for a Greener Tomorrow in SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary school, Petttavaithalai*

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Students and teachers promote Agro Forestry.

On World Environment Day, 5th June 2026, something special took root at SEVAI Shanthi Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Pettavaithalai. Stepping beyond the walls of the classroom, students and teachers came together to compose a lively, heartfelt song for the people who matter most to them—their parents, the farmers of Trichy and Karur. The message was simple and urgent: look at that extra patch of land, the one with water and fencing already in place, and fill it with fruit trees and timber trees that will sustain families for generations.

The song carries more than melody. It tells the story of a movement already growing across their districts—the SEVAI-Greening India Agro Forestry Program, supported through the SEVAI-Zomato Agro Forestry initiative. Through this partnership, farmers receive high-quality saplings of both fast-growing timber and income-yielding fruit species, completely free of cost. But the support doesn’t end at distribution. Farmers are walked through every step—pit preparation, planting techniques, mulching, and organic protection. Where needed, guidance on micro-irrigation is also provided to help young trees withstand the harsh summer months. Plantation assistance and fertilizers are included, so farmers can begin with confidence.

The students use their song to explain why certain trees are chosen. Fruit trees such as mango, guava, lemon, and sapota bring nutrition to the home and begin to provide steady cash income within three to five years. Once established, they continue to bear for over forty years. Timber trees like teak and mahogany line the field borders, serving as a long-term savings plan—valuable for construction, a financial safety net for life’s big expenses, and a source of climate resilience for the farm.

Through their lyrics, the students highlight what parents need to know. After the first two years, the trees require only seasonal care. The benefits are many: fruit for food and sale, timber as a retirement fund, leaf litter that enriches the soil, shade for livestock, and naturally cooler farms. To make learning easy, Zomato-Greening India and SEVAI organize farmer field days, where neighbors can see firsthand which species thrive in local soil and rainfall. To join the program, farmers need at least one acre of extra land, assured water for the first two summers, basic fencing to protect saplings from goats and cattle, and the willingness to attend a single training session. SEVAI and Zomato-Greening India field staff make regular follow-up visits to ensure the trees grow strong.

The heart of the song is captured in its chorus: _“Ippadi naduvom na, pillainga, pēran paduvanga”_—“If we plant like this, our children and grandchildren will benefit.” Fruit trees begin to repay while children are still in school. Timber trees mature into a financial cushion for education, health, or marriage decades later. The soil grows richer, the farm grows cooler, and the land once again fills with birdsong.

Born on World Environment Day 2026, this student-teacher collaboration is doing something powerful. It is translating agroforestry into a language farmers trust—the voice of their own children. It is an invitation wrapped in melody, urging farmers to plant not just trees, but a future that grows greener with every passing season.🌿Govin