Walking through the fields and speaking with the farmers made climate action real. We weren’t just reading about ecology in lecture halls; we were putting roots in the ground.
Bridging the Urban-Rural Academic Divide
In partnership with environmental science departments from Vijayawada and Guntur colleges, SSCT launched a student field fellowship. 35 undergraduate and postgraduate students were trained on mobile GPS mapping tools, botanical sapling inspection protocols, and community dialogue techniques.
Intensive Weekend Field Expeditions
Over two weekends, volunteer teams fanned out across 8 rural village clusters along the Krishna river basin. They recorded geo-points for 1,200 newly planted saplings, photographed each young stem, and helped farmers register their bank details for harvest logistical payouts.
Building Lifelong Environmental Stewards
For many urban students, this was their first in-depth encounter with smallholder agriculture. Several participants have now committed to regular seasonal auditing and tree health monitoring internships with our regional centres.
Core Takeaways & Learnings
- ✓ Direct youth participation in digital agroforestry mapping and data integrity.
- ✓ Community bonding between university students and rural farming elders.
- ✓ Certified volunteer service hours with formal institutional recognition.