Imagine growing vegetables without even a handful of soil. That is the beauty of hydroponics.
It is a technique that feeds plants at their roots with nutrient-rich water, rather than planting seeds in the ground, as we traditionally do.
It is innovative farming that has the potential to completely change the way we think about agriculture. The results are impressive too, as plants grow much quicker, use up to 90% less water, and can be grown in the tiniest spaces.
In a world where climate change and shrinking farmland have become very real concerns that impact everyone, this innovation offers a ray of hope for people.
In Dhaka, hydroponics has been brought to life on the campus of International School Dhaka (ISD). For the students, it is not a chapter from their science textbook. The school has embraced hydroponics into a living classroom, where students learn about sustainable farming and get hands-on-experience.
This project is led by ISD’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Program (DP) students as part of a module called CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service), which encourages young people to learn by tackling real-world challenges.
The Green Committee has become the heart of this initiative with students taking responsibility for maintaining the hydroponic system, caring for it, and watching it flourish. Under their teachers’ guidance, these student leaders have turned theoretical knowledge into something real and practical.
The use of hydroponics at ISD was from a vision to make environmental education more practical and participatory for the students. It shows them how they can be part of the solution to real global issues. It raises awareness about food security and fosters a culture of care for the environment in the school community.
Rania from Grade 12, said: “Being involved in the hydroponics project helped me understand how much science and planning go into growing food in a sustainable way. It made sustainability feel more hands-on. Through this project, I learned how important consistency and teamwork are when caring for a living system. It allowed me to contribute meaningfully to a system that benefits our school community.”
Umayr, a Grade 11 student, said: “This project has shown me that sustainable food systems can be both small-scale and impactful while producing actual edible products for human consumption. Learning about how hydroponics works taught me the importance of scientific knowledge and innovation, which makes me even more determined to do better in my education.”
The students now grow three type of plants – lettuce, cherry tomatoes and basil. They monitor these plants from seedlings to harvest. The science behind plant nutrition and how water conservation works are key elements, all while they develop their teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Basil Malcolm Chesney, IBDP chemistry teacher from ISD, said: “What started out as a simple school project has become a rich learning experience for the students. It has been encouraging the students to move beyond theoretical understanding, develop practical skills and see themselves as active contributors to solutions rather than passive learners.”
Hydroponics at ISD has now become a popular attraction, with students, teachers and parents seeing how a little bit of innovation can grow into something meaningful.
It is already drawing attention from NGOs such as Green Savers and from other schools who are curious to see how the project works and show interest in collaborating.
For ISD, this project has made sustainability something everyone can see, understand, and play their part, proving that when students are given the tools and trust to lead, they can cultivate not just plants, but real change.
