The ZeroPlastic Movement carried out the “Own the Grow Project” in the Udaperadeniya area, a community-based environmental initiative designed to encourage local farmers to take an active role in planting, growing, and maintaining plants. As part of the project, 50 Mee plants were distributed among farmers in the area, with a focus on developing a sense of ownership, responsibility, and long-term care for the plants they received.

The project was organized to promote sustainable food production, responsible use of soil and water, and greater environmental awareness within the local farming community. In addition, the initiative encouraged farmers to adopt a zeroplastic approach by reducing unnecessary plastic use and considering environmentally friendly alternatives in their farming practices.

The project began with the identification of suitable farmers in the Udaperadeniya area, a process supported by the Grama Niladhari (GN) of Udaperadeniya, who played an important role in coordinating the distribution and connecting the project team with the local farming community. Once the 50 Mee plants were distributed, the project team carried out a monitoring process to assess how farmers were caring for their plants. The monitoring covered several areas, including proper planting, regular watering, maintenance, plant health, cleanliness, and the overall commitment and responsibility demonstrated by each farmer.

Based on the results of the monitoring process, the five best performing farmers were recognized for their dedication to plant care. These farmers were presented with seed packets as tokens of appreciation, acknowledging the effort and responsibility they had shown throughout the project period. The recognition element of the project served to reinforce the value of consistent care and to encourage continued participation in environmental activities at the community level.

The project connected environmental awareness with practical action by placing the res…