Motithang Higher Secondary School (HSS) has been selected as one of the Top 10 finalists for the 2027 Zayed Sustainability Prize, representing South Asia in the Global High Schools category with its student-led project, โSmart Agriculture for a Sustainable Future.โ
The Zayed Sustainability Prize, a pioneering global award of the UAE, recognises innovative and impactful solutions that respond to pressing sustainability challenges and contribute to positive change.
The school was selected from a record 10,233 submissions from 177 countries.
The idea emerged from a practical challenge faced within the schoolโs agricultural area: reducing the time and labour required for maintenance while making more efficient use of water. Driven by this challenge, eight students from Classes IX and XI began exploring ways to apply technology to make agricultural practices more efficient and sustainable.
Their efforts have resulted in an IoT-based smart farming system that integrates sensors, automated drip irrigation, an ESP32 microcontroller and mobile technology to monitor and manage irrigation. The system is designed to improve water efficiency while reducing the need for manual watering and maintenance.
More than a farming project, the initiative has created an opportunity for students to connect classroom learning with real-world problem-solving. It brings together Science, ICT, STEM, Agriculture and entrepreneurship, transforming the schoolโs agricultural area into a practical learning space where students can experiment, innovate and develop solutions.
As part of its future plans, the school aims to expand the smart irrigation system across approximately two acres of its School Agriculture Area and support the reforestation of two acres of fire-damaged land near Sangaygang. These initiatives will integrate smart technology with water conservation, environmental restoration and climate resilience
The winner of the 2027 Zayed Sustainability Prize will be announced in Abu Dhabi on 12 January 2027, with the winning school receiving a US$150,000 prize. As a finalist, the school is eligible for a US$25,000 prize, which would support the further development of its sustainability initiatives.
The achievement marks a significant milestone for the school, demonstrating how a school-based initiative can grow into a project with global recognition. It further reflects the potential of young people to use knowledge, technology and innovation to address environmental challenges and contribute to a more sustainable future.
