Country: Nigeria
Big Bet: Help communities facing displacement and climate stress grow their own fresh food year-round — even where land and water are scarce — by supporting solar-powered farming.
Project: Farm In A Box helps refugee settlements and climate-affected communities grow their own fresh food in places where traditional farming is difficult or impossible. The project installs solar-powered hydroponic growing systems that use very little water and can produce vegetables year-round, even in areas without fertile soil. Families are trained to manage the systems so they can reliably grow nutritious food for their households and local markets. By making local food production possible in fragile environments, Farm In A Box reduces dependence on food aid while helping communities build greater stability, dignity, and self-reliance.
Smart Israel leads a bold effort to democratize access to affordable food by reimagining how food is produced in fragile, arid, and displacement-affected regions through climate-resilient agricultural innovation. He is the Founder of Smartel (Farm-In-A-Box), an agri-tech venture deploying solar-powered hydroponic systems that enable growers and entire communities to produce fresh food year-round without soil while drastically reducing water use and agricultural inputs. By integrating IoT technology, renewable energy, and community-centered ownership models, his work strengthens local food systems and livelihoods. Smart is a recipient of the 2025 United Nations SDG Action Award for Creativity, the UN-Habitat Scroll of Honour Award, and The Diana Award, and serves as a Ban Ki-moon Youth Agri-Champion. He is also a SIGMA Fellow and Top 5 Global Climate Innovator, and holds a degree in Software Engineering with a specialization in Machine Learning.