Growing Healthier & SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

East-West Seed Indonesia Earns Sustainable Business Award for Pioneering Green Agriculture Initiatives

East-West Seed Indonesia recently received the Sustainable Business Award in recognition of their robust and effective sustainability initiatives for Indonesian agriculture. This prestigious award was presented by SBA Indonesia and Global Initiative during a virtual ceremony, with East-West Seed Indonesia (EWINDO) Managing Director Glenn Pardede accepting the honor in the presence of the Indonesian Minister of National Development Planning.

EWINDO’s innovative strategies include offering fertilizer recommendations to their partner farmers, which helps reduce costs amid rising fertilizer prices. Additionally, the company has incorporated solar panels to power their machinery, embracing the Green Industry movement. In the realm of education, EWINDO has established numerous partnerships with educational institutions across Indonesia, providing valuable internship opportunities for students. This initiative aims to spark interest among the younger generation in the agriculture sector, showcasing its potential as a rewarding career path.

By dedicating itself to these impactful programs, EWINDO has demonstrated a firm belief in the power of sustainable business practices to create lasting, positive change in society and contribute to a healthier environment.

EWS Philippines Helps to Create a Green Oasis Amid a Concrete Jungle

When the Covid pandemic hit, silver jewelry entrepreneur Louie Gutierrez found unexpected success in urban farming.

Visitors to Bonifacio Global City business district in Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines, might be surprised to discover the “BGC Community Farm by Urban Farmers”, a 1,500-squaremeter vegetable farm hidden among the bustling streets filled with cafes and restaurants.

This innovative urban farming initiative was launched by Gutierrez along with the help of volunteers, property support from Ayala Corporation, and the expertise of East-West Seed in setting up the farm.

The farm cultivates a range of greens such as lettuce, arugula, and pechay, with plans to add tomatoes, eggplants, basil, and mint in the near future. For a small donation, individuals can learn about vegetable farming and harvest their own bag of fresh greens during the weekends. The BGC Community Farm also welcomes companies seeking to engage in CSR projects.

The BGC Community Farm is just one of three urban farms established by Louie’s social enterprise in the Philippines since the beginning of the Covid pandemic. He also operates Urban Farmers of Bel-Air in Makati City and the NLEX-SCTEX Community Farm by Urban Farmers in Caloocan City.

EWS India Champions Sustainability with Plantable Seed Rakhis for Raksha Bandhan

East-West Seed India promotes sustainability with their innovative Beej Bandhan Hamper, featuring plantable seed rakhis.

To raise awareness about the importance of a sustainable future, East-West Seed India has introduced a creative concept for celebrating the traditional Hindu festival Raksha Bandhan. The unique campaign, called “Beej Bandhan,” promotes its new crop variety of butternut seeds.

The campaign centers on donating a hamper that features eco-friendly paper rakhis, a symbolic talisman, that is paired with butternut seeds. During Raksha Bandhan, women tie rakhis around their brothers’ wrists as a gesture of protection, receiving a gift in return and entrusting the brothers with the responsibility of caring for them. Traditional rakhis are made of silk, gold and silver threads, sequins, and semi-precious stones. Rakhis often cannot be recycled, resulting in waste.

Once the festivities conclude, the rakhis donated by EW Seed can be planted instead of being discarded in the rubbish bin. The rakhis can therefore be transformed a sweet and flavorful butternut crop. Easy to cultivate and suitable for limited spaces, butternuts can be grown both in gardens or pots.

EWS-KT Expands Agricultural Program to Empower Ghanaian Farmers

East-West Seed Knowledge Transfer Foundation has launched its agricultural program in Ghana, aiming to provide smallholder farmers with improved techniques and technologies that will increase their yields and incomes. EWS-KT’s commitment to enhancing the vegetable value chain will also benefit local consumers by increasing the supply of locally grown, safe-toeat vegetables and is aligned with the foundation’s strategic goal of training 1 million smallholder farmers by 2025.

The foundation will establish a learning site in the Ghanaian regions of Bono East, Bono, and Ahafo, that will serve as a training center for staff, sector professionals, and farmers. Training for farmers will begin in March 2023, with the objective of educating 2,500 farmers by year’s end.

EWS-KT’s efforts in Ghana will be led by Zakari Musah, an experienced agronomist with a deep understanding of the vegetable sector. Through demonstration plots, field days, infield training, and digital outreach, EWS-KT will share profitable and sustainable approaches for cultivating vegetables and showcase evidence-based, improved production techniques, thereby enabling Ghanaian farmers to achieve higher yields, improved produce quality, and increased income.