India’s Greenhouse-in-a-box wins Prince William’s Earthshot Prize 2022

India’s Greenhouse-in-a-box was among the five winners announced by the Prince of Wales, Prince William, in Boston, United States, on Friday. It is a sustainable solution for small-scale farmers developed by an Indian startup, Kheyti, in Telangana which has won one million pounds ($1.2 million).

Founded by Prince William this was the second edition of the Earthshot prize which has also been dubbed the ‘Eco Oscars’ and witnessed the presence of several celebrities who walked the green carpet. Kheyti won the prize in the Protect and Restore Nature category which saw hundreds of entries from across the world.

Co-founder and CEO of Kheyti, Kaushik Kappagantulu, said that he had launched the solution for at least 100 million local smallholder farmers who are most impacted by climate change. The aim of greenhouse-in-a-box is to reduce costs and increase yields which in turn would help protect the livelihoods of these farmers.

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This simple solution has bigger implications than the Greenhouse-in-a-box, which can grow crops while offering them shelter from unpredictable elements including destructive pests. Notably, the plants in this greenhouse require 98 per cent less water while the yield is seven times higher than those grown outside. Furthermore, it also costs 90 per cent less than an average greenhouse.

The start-up also offers training and support to the farmers in making sure the greenhouse is as effective as possible. Therefore, with less water and the use of pesticides, it also protects the environment while also helping small-holder farmers save money and resources.

“We are honoured to be recognised by The Earthshot Prize this year. The world depends on its small-hold farmers and yet their lives are amongst the hardest on earth,” said Kappagantulu. He added, “Our Greenhouse-in-a-Box is empowering farmers in India today. The steps we have already taken at Kheyti are now building to change farmers’ lives at scale.”

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Among the 15 finalists, there was another Indian project named Fleather, developed by Founder and CEO Ankit Agarwal’s Phool which is based in the state of Uttar Pradesh. The project began with the aim to clean up India’s holiest river Ganges and eventually they were able to collect flowers dispensed into the river and turn them into sustainable leather called Fleather.

All 15 finalists will receive support from the Earthshot Prize Global Alliance which is a network of NGOs and private sector businesses around the world which will assist in scaling these solutions. The other five winners are from Kenya, the United Kingdom, Australia and Oman.

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