Citi Foundation announces recipients of inaugural Global Innovation Challenge

• 50 organisations granted $ 25 m to pilot or expand catalytic solutions to improve food security globally

Citi Foundation has announced the grant recipients of its first-ever Global Innovation Challenge. 

A new model to identify and provide philanthropic support to community organisations that are developing innovative solutions to social and economic challenges faced by low-income communities around the world.

In Sri Lanka, the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) has been awarded the Citi Foundation grant of $500,000. The funding will support small-scale women farmers in Sri Lanka, introducing tech-based farming, access to inclusive financing products and services. The project entails teaching of environmentally friendly agricultural techniques that would improve productivity and community resilience over the next two years.

The 50 recipient organisations including UNDP Sri Lanka will support programming across four priority areas: food access, availability, affordability, and community resilience. Innovations range from launching apps that will connect food supply and demand to piloting new technology and sustainable farming practices to setting up urban gardens and more.

Over the course of two years, grantees would have access to a learning community facilitated by IDEO.org, a non-profit design studio. Through a digital platform and a set of curated experiences, grantees have the opportunity to collaborate, share lessons learned and exchange best practices.

Citi Country Officer for Sri Lanka Ravin Basnayake said: “At Citi, we have been aiming at enabling growth and progress of our clients and the community we are part of.  This has been a priority since our inception in Sri Lanka over four decades ago.” He added, “We are pleased with the opportunity given to leverage on Citi Foundation’s philanthropic capital to support the critical need to modernise and encourage sustainable agricultural practices addressing food security issues in the country.”

UNDP Sri Lanka Resident Representative Azusa Kubota said: “Given that Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector has borne the brunt of the socio-economic crisis, this project provides immediate recovery support through diversification of livelihoods and the introduction of entrepreneurship programs, especially targeting women-led MSMEs, to secure sustainable income. Citi has been a longstanding partner of UNDP’s efforts both regionally and locally and we look forward to complementing the efforts of the Sri Lankan Government and other development partners, to reinforce the country’s trajectory towards food security, by way of strengthening micro and home-based industries and livelihoods of women.’’