NAPARIMA
COLLEGE
GREEN
COMMUNITY
INITIATIVE
Hema Jaggernauth
Aruna Gajadharsingh
PROBLEM
• The city of San Fernando has been affected by high
pollution exposure, climate change and increased prices of
healthy foods, affecting students and residents alike.
KEY ISSUES
• Lack of environmental sustainability
• Food insecurity and limited access to low-cost food
• Limited sustainability of agricultural and environmental
initiatives
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Strategy 1- Poor environmental sustainability is addressed by implementing 10 hydroponics and Solarponix pods,
powered by solar panels. This will be done through the training and involvement of all stakeholders, including
students, using empowerment interventions and evaluations, to reduce the school’s carbon footprint
Strategy 2 – The problem of food insecurity is addressed using the harvest of the Hydroponics initiative to offer
lower cost food alternatives and to donate food to the surrounding community.
Strategy 3 – The issue of sustainability is addressed through the implementation of the green market, to create a
venue for sale of produce for all stakeholders, and training of partners in the area to boost agriculture through
hydroponics.
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
3
PROBLEM
STATEMENT
To transform food insecurity
and poor environmental
practices through the
Naparima College Green
Community Initiative using
Hydroponics, Solarponix,
Solar Power, community
engagement and outreach
to improve sustainable
agricultural practices and
entrepreneurial skill through
active youth participation.
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
4
THEORY OF CHANGE
The city of San Fernando has been affected by high
pollution exposure, climate change and increased prices
of healthy foods, affecting students and residents alike. If
the Naparima College Green Community Initiative is
launched, this can lead to increased food security, the
production of low-cost food, a reduction in the school’s
carbon footprint, spread of sustainable agricultural
practices, increase entrepreneurial skills and opportunities
through sustainable agriculture and increase assistance to
charitable causes within the community, targeting
marginalized group
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
5
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
• Increase food security
• Produce low-cost food
• Reduce the school’s carbon footprint
• Spread sustainable agricultural practices
• Increase entrepreneurial skills and opportunities through
sustainable agriculture
• Increase assistance to charitable causes within the
community, targeting marginalized groups
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
6
OBJECTIVE TREE
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
7
TIMELINE
•PHASE
1 Jan ‘22 –
March ‘23
• Purchased 4
hydroponics/
SolarPonix
systems
• Harvested 150
heads of lettuce,
pakchoi & celery
with 50%
donated to
charity
• Trained &
advised the
Soroptimist Club
– who donated
a system to
Pleasantville
Sec. School
PHASE 2
– March ‘23 –
June ‘23
• 200 heads of pak
choi, kale & celery
harvested (June)
• Funding sourced
to convert
hydroponics
systems to
Solarponix systems
• Donation of
produce to JC
McDonald Home
• Partnering with
the JC Mcdonald
Home to donate a
hydroponics
system and train
residents
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
•PHASE
3 - ongoing
•PHASE
4 – Sept ‘23 to
•PHASE
5 –Sept ‘23 –
• Sourcing
donation of
hydroponics
drip system
• Plans to
purchase of 10
additional
SolarPonix
systems
• Establishment
of a green
market at the
Naparima
College
Auditorium to
sell produce
• Installation
of
hydroponics
drip system
(June 2023)
• Production
of tomato
crops
(currently
ongoing)
Sept ‘24
• The purchase
of Solar Panels
to power the
Science Block of
the school.
• Students
undergo virtual
training in use
of system,
operations and
maintenance
Sept ‘24
• Partner with
farmers in the
area to provide
a venue for the
sale of low-cost
produce
• Partner with
NovoFarms to
purchase
produce
PHASE 6
–Sept ‘23 – Sept
’24
• Public-private
partnership
with ProfabTT,
Ashnad
Foundation,
Atlantic LNG,
NCPD & the
Society of St.
Vincent de
Paul.
• Collaborate
virtually with
Queen’s
College in
Barbados to
train & advise
on system
installation and
maintenance
.
21/7/2023
8
LOGIC MODEL
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
9
COMMUNITY
IMPACT
This project will :
• Shape San Fernando into a Green Community, as the Club partners to train and
spread hydroponics
• Build community capacity in terms of agriculture, entrepreneurship and food
security
• Inculcate community awareness of food security and the promotion of
agriculture in a sustainable way with an eye on climate issues
• Increase community interest in agriculture and organic farming, builds their
skills base and can create opportunities for employment and diversification in
the future.
• Have a lasting impact on currently enrolled students, parents and community
(legacy project)
• Partner with vulnerable and marginalized groups to increase self sufficiency
and food security through agriculture, achieving the UNSDG’s
• Foster the mentorship of young men, who will be skilled to stand as leaders in
the community
• Encourage student empowerment through active youth participation
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
10
SUSTAINABILITY
•
This project is heavy in infrastructural expenditure but allows for maintenance and
sustainability in continued operations with the sale of crops from the systems.
•
The installation of the solar panels will reduce the school’s electrical consumption costs,
diverting resources to other aspects of educational provision. With this installation, there
will be no need to purchase Solarponix units, reducing the cost of expansion by 50%,
which can increase the project’s ability to assist with other public and private ventures in
the community.
•
Sustainability is increased through training and involvement of students of varied age
groups across the school/curricula in the operation and maintenance of the project, to
ensure succession planning and increase the bank of skills and volunteers available to the
program over time.
•
The green market can be expanded in the future by partnering with other vendors to
increase the variety of goods that can be available to the community at a reduced price.
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
11
SUSTAINABILITY
• Sustainability is increased through public-private partnership
collaboration with ProfabTT, Novo Farms, the Ashnad
Foundation, Atlantic LNG, The National Centre for Persons
with Disabilities, the J.C. McDonald Home for the Aged and
the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, ensuring the continuity and
expansion of the initiative and the expansion of the
community outreach programs.
• Collaboration with Queen’s College in Barbados to provide
advice, startup information, and information on the
maintenance of their systems will expand the initiative
beyond the San Fernando area to make it a regional project.
This is part of the Island Innovation Network, which is a
global network that helps to advance innovation and drive
sustainable change across island communities worldwide.
This has the potential to improve student leadership skills and
lend mentorship support to regional partners, expanding the
Green Community to the Naparima Green Caribbean
Initiative.
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
12
THANK YOU
Any Questions?
NAPARIMA COLLEGE GREEN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE
21/7/2023
13