For years, Madam Lalithamma Nair has been inspiring Singaporeans to reconnect with nature through community gardens, environmental education programmes, and grassroots sustainability initiatives. Now, the veteran environmental advocate is embarking on what could be one of her most impactful projects yet – Grow Lah!, a nationwide initiative aimed at empowering residents to grow their own fresh microgreens at home.
The community-driven project, organised by Green Up Singapore and supported by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment through the SG Eco Fund, will be officially launched on June 27 at the Tzu Chi Humanistic Youth Centre in Yishun. The event is expected to bring together community leaders, sustainability advocates, educators, volunteers, families and grassroots representatives who share a commitment to building a greener future.
At its heart, Grow Lah! seeks to make urban farming simple, practical, and accessible for everyone. Participants will receive hands-on training, educational resources and microgreens starter kits that will enable them to grow nutrient-rich vegetables in the comfort of their homes.
For Mdm Lalithamma, the project is about much more than growing food.
“Grow Lah! is about growing communities, growing awareness and growing a culture of sustainability,” she said. “We want Singaporeans to realise that even small everyday actions can contribute to a more resilient and environmentally conscious nation.”
The year-long initiative, which runs from April 2026 to March 2027, aims to reach approximately 2,000 participants through workshops, outreach programmes, and volunteer activities across the island.
The timing is significant. As Singapore continues to strengthen its food security and sustainability efforts, projects such as Grow Lah! help residents better understand where their food comes from and the importance of local food resilience.
Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu has repeatedly highlighted the importance of local food production, noting that food security is essential to Singapore’s survival and resilience in times of supply disruptions. Grow Lah! complements this national vision by encouraging households to take an active role in food awareness and sustainable living.
The initiative is designed to be inclusive. Whether it is families looking for a meaningful activity, children learning about nature, seniors seeking a therapeutic hobby or residents living in HDB flats with limited space, microgreens offer an easy starting point. They require minimal equipment, grow quickly and can be harvested within days.
The project also reflects Mdm Lalithamma’s lifelong mission to reconnect people with nature.
Founder and director of Green Up Singapore, Mdm Lalithamma has spent more than 15 years championing environmental causes and community greening efforts. Her passion can be traced back to her childhood, when she learned about plants, herbs and traditional remedies in her grandmother’s backyard. Those experiences shaped her belief that nature should be an integral part of everyday life rather than a distant luxury.
That conviction eventually led her to establish Green Up Singapore in 2019, transforming a personal passion into a movement that promotes eco-education, urban farming, and sustainable living. Through mobile workshops, community programmes, and school outreach initiatives, Green Up Singapore has brought environmental education directly into homes, schools, and workplaces.
Among her notable achievements is The Nature Nook, an 8,000-square-foot community farm in Kranji that showcases more than 80 varieties of traditional vegetables, fruit trees and forgotten local herbs. She also developed the Kids GROW curriculum, which teaches preschool children values such as Gratitude, Respect, Ownership and Wisdom through gardening and nature-based learning.
Her contributions have earned widespread recognition. Mdm Lalithamma was awarded the prestigious Pingat Bakti Masyarakat (PBM), or Public Service Medal, for her service to society. She has also received the National Environment Agency’s EcoFriend Award and was presented with the Best Constituency (Ownership) Award by former Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who praised her efforts in conducting free gardening programmes and nurturing environmental awareness among young people.
Those who have worked closely with her say Grow Lah! is a natural extension of her life’s work.
Ms Irene KT Law, a former lawyer in the United Kingdom and who supports the initiative, believes the programme can strengthen household food resilience while helping families adopt healthier lifestyles. Founder of Project Smile, Uma Balji, described Mdm Lalithamma as someone who has devoted her life to making Singapore greener and inspiring others through innovative sustainability programmes. Both highlighted the therapeutic benefits of growing microgreens, particularly for seniors and families.
For Mdm Lalithamma, however, success will not simply be measured by the number of microgreens kits distributed.
Instead, she hopes Grow Lah! will cultivate something far more enduring: a generation of Singaporeans who feel connected to nature, understand the value of sustainable living and recognise that meaningful environmental change often begins with a single seed planted at home.
If that vision takes root, Grow Lah! could become far more than an urban farming project. It could help sow the foundations of a greener, more resilient Singapore for years to come.
santosh@sph.com.sg
