Grow2Share: Here’s an app for urban gardeners

Nearly a thousand urban gardeners in Bengaluru have been learning how to grow organic plants and share their produce, thanks to a city-based initiative.

As the name suggests, the mobile phone app Grow2Share teaches users to grow pesticide-free vegetables and share the output with fellow users.

Besides a step-by-step process on growing and harvesting fruits and veggies, the app also offers information on organic waste composting and its localisation.

Conceptualised by Mayank Agarwal, Apoorva Jaiswal and Friederike Fokuhl in 2016, the app has also drawn people from across the globe.

“Our aim is to also create green spaces in every city,” Agarwal said. “We want to become self-sustainable as a community that doesn’t depend on external vendors for our consumption needs. Furthermore, we want to propagate the idea of a barter economy that also imbibes a spirit of gift economy, wherein we share what we grow with others.”

The app has several interesting features like networking with different vendors supporting natural-grown seeds, soil and manure.

Like other social networking platforms, users of Grow2Share can also chat with others, share pictures of their progress and win reward points for what they grow.

Agarwal said the app has a database of users growing vegetables. “We want to usher in a green revolution of sorts by encouraging people to grow and share their produce, thereby encouraging more people to adopt a green and healthier lifestyle, while also doing their bit for the community,” he added.

The founders also plan to add a feature allowing users to share resources like manure, seeds and other essentials with fellow users. They also host events to share their produce with the public.