Sustainable Projects for Regeneration, Innovation & Growth (SPRIG)

Steward alumna: Cecilia Njoroge

For our SPRIG project this year Leap Empowerment and Development Initiative (LEDI) intends to scale our project Climate Smart Agricultural Technologies in Response to Climate change which we implemented last year. We intend to scale this project to reach out to additional 100 farmers, expand our demonstration farm and enhance our indigenous tree nursery project. This year we will apply our SPRIG growth grant to scale up our project.

Steward Alumna: Weerasekara Mudiyanselage Neranjala Kumari

With Sri Lanka facing increasing threats from climate change, rapid population growth, and limited natural resources, the risk of food and nutrition insecurity in the near future is becoming more evident. To address these challenges, it is essential to equip the next generation with innovative thinking and practical skills to ensure sustainability.

The “Grow More in Your Own Garden” initiative empowers school children to become part of the solution—starting from their own home gardens. By managing existing resources efficiently and learning to grow their own food, children develop vital life skills while actively contributing to climate resilience. This movement promotes simple, affordable, and locally adaptable agricultural methods that are accessible to all.

Through interactive, hands-on experiences, students will explore climate-smart farming techniques, including composting, water conservation, and even specialized crops like celery farming. Educating children on these topics and training them with real-world skills is one of the most effective long-term strategies for building food-secure and climate-ready communities. By blending traditional farming wisdom with modern eco-friendly technologies, we aim to nurture a generation of responsible, eco-conscious youth. Let’s grow smart, live green, and sow the seeds of a better future—together.

Enhancing Agrosilvopastoral System for Greens Production with a Circular and Food Security Approach

Caterina Cardenas applied their SPRIG mini-grant to build a mini-production site for bio-fertilizers at their farm, Del Monte Agroecologia, in Arequipa, Peru. Using local organic inputs like rabbit manure, vegetable waste, and microorganisms, Caterina produced four types of bio-inputs to enhance their production of vegetables and fruit trees and improve soil health!