Henri de Laulanié Prize Recognises Student-Led Agroecological Innovation Across Kenya, Indonesia and Mexico
Oxford, United Kingdom – 23 June 2026
The Laudato Si’ Research Institute (LSRI), through its Integral Ecology Research Network (IERN) in collaboration with the Downforce Trust, is pleased to announce the recipients of the inaugural Henri de Laulanié Prize, celebrating student-led agroecological initiatives that are already delivering measurable benefits for communities, livelihoods, and ecological resilience. The Prize honours the legacy of Fr. Henri de Laulanié SJ, whose development of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) transformed rice cultivation for millions of farmers worldwide.
The Henri de Laulanié Prize recognises projects that combine ecological restoration with social justice, demonstrate real-world impact, and show a credible pathway for wider adoption and systems change.
Following review by an international jury that included representatives from IERN, the Downforce Trust, SRI30, the Loving our Land and Neighbour Group and the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, the 2026 awards recognise outstanding achievements in formation, innovation, social transformation, and scalable agroecological impact.
Henri de Laulanié Prize for Formation and Systems Transformation (£2,000)
Tangaza University Laudato Si’ Farm (Kenya)
The jury recognised the Tangaza University Laudato Si’ Farm, led by Susan Wanjiru Mwangi together with Mark Majanga, Rhoda Mahasi and Amani Cornelius of Tangaza University, for its integration of agroecological production, ecological education, and student formation.
Now in its second year, the initiative has demonstrated the viability of regenerative agriculture by producing food for university staff and students while serving as a platform for experiential learning and innovation. The project has successfully implemented four land-use designs and continues to function as a living laboratory, contributing to ongoing doctoral research on regenerative agriculture as a pathway to food sovereignty. As a scalable and replicable model, it offers strong potential for adoption in other universities and community contexts.
The award recognises the project’s potential to inspire similar learning farms across educational institutions worldwide and its commitment to cultivating a new generation of agroecological leaders.
Henri de Laulanié Prize for Scalability and Impact (£2,000)
Sustainable Enhancement of Rice Productivity and Biological Pest and Disease through Microbial Bioinoculants in Systems of Rice Intensification (Indonesia)
This award recognises an outstanding example of science-based agroecological innovation with clear potential for large-scale adoption. Based at Padjadjaran University, the team is led by Dedat Prismantoro with Thomas Argyarich Jefferson, Malvin Albert, Hibar Abdillah, and Livia Putri Shafina, mentored by Dr Febri Doni.
Working with farming communities in Tasikmalaya, the student team has integrated microbial bioinoculants into the System of Rice Intensification, helping farmers improve productivity while reducing dependence on synthetic pesticides and fertilisers. As Dedat explains, the project “demonstrates how locally produced microbial bioinoculants can provide an affordable and scalable agroecological solution for smallholder farmers.” Through farmer training, participatory field demonstrations, and knowledge transfer activities, “the project can empower farming communities to adopt environmentally friendly pest and disease management practice, contributing to more resilient livelihoods, healthier agricultural systems, and greater long-term food security.”
The jury was particularly impressed by the team’s strong evidence base, multi-year implementation, farmer training strategy, and practical roadmap for scaling agroecological innovation. The project reflects the enduring legacy of Henri de Laulanié by demonstrating how ecological farming methods can improve livelihoods while protecting the environment.
Henri de Laulanié Prize for Social Transformation and Local Participation (£2,000)
Sembradero: A Community-Based Agroecological and Cooperative Network in Urban Peripheries (Mexico)
Lizette Gutierrez, a student of Social Enterprises at the Universidad Iberoamericana in Mexico City, established the Sembradero network, “a hybrid model that connects food access, cultural activation and community-building.” Through a Festival de Sabores (Flavours Festival) and Sabores de la Semana (Weekly Food Baskets), Sembradero brings together 24 agroecological producers and social cooperatives, 15 artists and cultural agents, and a team of volunteers, as well as partnerships with local cooperatives and organisations. For Lizette, “growing up in the periphery of Mexico City, I felt that other ways of eating, inhabiting, and building community only existed in other parts of the city. This disconnection is a form of precarity.” Her project seeks “to make food feel alive again: as a space for encounter, memory, territory, and community,” by building a balance between fair payment for producers and accessible prices for urban communities that have often been excluded from solidarity economies.
The jury recognised Sembradero for its innovative work reconnecting agroecological practice with the social dimensions of food systems. The award celebrates Sembradero’s vision of food not simply as a commodity, but as a vehicle for community participation and creativity. The project demonstrates how agroecology can transform relationships between producers and consumers while building stronger and more resilient local economies.
Student Research and Innovation Recognitions
Circular Bioponic Systems for Safe and Nutritious African Indigenous Vegetables (Kenya)
The jury recognised the project from Sr Monica Omondi, a PhD student at Egerton Univeristy, for advancing circular approaches to food production through the innovative use of organic waste streams.
By converting livestock and fisheries by-products into nutrient solutions for growing African Indigenous Vegetables, the project demonstrates a practical pathway towards reducing waste, lowering fertiliser costs, and improving access to nutritious foods. Through research, demonstration farms, and farmer engagement, it offers promising opportunities for wider adoption among smallholder farmers
Upscaling Agroecology African Indigenous Vegetable Production through Circular Climate-Smart Agriculture and Black Soldier Fly Frass among Masara small holder farmers and eco youth groups (Kenya)
A further Student Research and Innovation recognition was awarded to Sr Rose Ochier, a Master’s student at Egerton University exploring the use of Black Soldier Fly frass as a locally produced, climate-smart agricultural input.
The project demonstrates how organic waste can be transformed into valuable resources that improve soil fertility, support pest management, and strengthen local food systems. Particular recognition is given to the project’s engagement with Masara women farmers and youth groups.
Celebrating Student Leadership in Agroecology
From university farms to rice-growing communities, urban food networks, and circular agriculture innovation, the 2026 recipients demonstrate the power of student leadership in advancing integral ecology. Together, they show that agroecology is a concrete path and paradigm towards more just, resilient, and participatory food systems.
The winners will be invited to present their work as part of the Down to Earth Dialogues, an online seminar hosted by the LSRI and IERN on the 25th of June at 15:00 BST. We warmly invite you to join us and hear first-hand from these exceptional emerging leaders in agroecology.