In our commitment to communities and the environment, CGI seeks projects that deliver a smart investment by contributing to local needs, economic stability, and sustainability.

Through partnerships with nongovernmental organizations in India, we funded four projects that make long-term sustainable contributions by creating economic opportunities, improving living conditions, and raising environmental awareness.

Organic farming

Our support of a three-year organic farming project implemented by the Ekalavya Foundation improved the economic stability of 58 farmers across six villages and helped safeguard soil health. CGI’s involvement supported expert-led training programs and the introduction of sustainable farming practices tailored to local growing conditions and community needs.

Program participants performed soil testing, distributed vermicompost, and applied biopesticides across 60 acres of land. These new practices led to improved crop yields and cost savings, eliminating the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that degrade soil fertility and harm the environment.

Agripreneurship

Through our agripreneurship project with Access Livelihoods, over 300 women farmers established sustainable food systems (SFSs) through organic farming. An SFS ensures food security and nutrition for current and future generations, maintaining environmental, economic, and social sustainability at every stage—from agricultural production, processing, and retailing to consumption.

Our approach combined economic empowerment with sustainability, tackling critical agricultural challenges, such as limited access to sustainable farming resources and training, declining soil fertility, and over-reliance on chemical inputs. We supplied bioinputs, technical training, and advisory services with the goal of empowering these women to become leaders in the organic farming ecosystem.

The initiative promoted agroecological practices such as soil testing, organic certification, and market linkages, enhancing the livelihoods of these farmers by ensuring fair pricing and long-term sustainability. The introduction of sustainable practices also promoted a greener future for their communities. Plans are to scale and deepen the impact in subsequent years.

Green jobs

We partnered with the We Foundation on the Green Jobs project to skill 100 young people in renewable energy technologies, with a focus on solar energy. This ongoing project supports the global transition to clean energy and addresses the lack of skilled professionals in the green energy sector, particularly in underserved regions.

The program trained participants to be job-ready in the green economy while increasing awareness and adoption of solarization processes to reduce reliance on non-renewable energy sources. Future plans include expanding the training to include more individuals and additional renewable energy technologies. 

Biogas from food waste

Working with Saahas, we established biogas facilities in two major metropolitan cities. With a total processing capacity of five tons per day of food waste, these plants eliminate the disposal of 1,000 tons of food waste into landfills annually. Diverting waste from landfills, together with methane recovery, significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

The project also introduced a circular economy model in local communities. Biogas generated from food waste, equivalent to 31,500 kilograms of liquid petroleum gas annually, is shared with nearby community organizations.

We are proud of the outcomes achieved through these partnerships, which bring both socioeconomic opportunities and environmental benefits to these individuals, and their families and communities.