Students from Khmelnytskyi Grow Microgreens and Learn Entrepreneurship

At the Volochysk Lyceum named after Maksym Otinov in Khmelnytskyi, students combine the study of biology with acquiring practical entrepreneurship skills. Since March 2025, the educational institution has been participating in the nationwide project “Smart Garden. Microgreens.”

This is reported by AgroReview

Entrepreneurial Skills and Teamwork

The project involves students from various age groups, each of whom performs specific tasks and works in a team. According to biology teacher Oksana Voznyak, who coordinates the initiative, the project is being implemented in 25 schools across Ukraine, two of which are located in Khmelnytskyi. The initiative was launched by one of the Ukrainian agribusiness companies with the support of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Partners provided participants with all the necessary equipment and seeds for growing microgreens.

“This is a so-called business constructor. It teaches children about entrepreneurial activities. Here, children learn to grow plants, take care of them, manage their accounting, and, at the same time, know how to present themselves and their product,” said Oksana Voznyak.

Growing Microgreens and Supporting the Armed Forces

During the cultivation of the plants, ultraviolet lighting is used to promote faster growth. When the microgreens reach the desired maturity, they are harvested and used in preparing dishes such as salads and sandwiches. Students experiment with various crops: peas, sunflowers, radishes, onions, lentils, and mustard.

The uniqueness of the project lies in the development of mutual support and universal skills among students. As teacher Olha Kovalchuk notes, many children strive to master related functions so they can substitute for their classmates when needed and better understand the entire process of growing and selling the products.

“Many kids try to learn other skills so they can support each other at certain moments and generally understand how this process works,” said project participant, teacher Olha Kovalchuk.

One of the key goals of the project is to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine. To this end, students, together with their parents and teachers, sell the grown microgreens, and the proceeds are directed to the needs of the military.