Rapid Regen Challenge — the^delta prize

The Rapid Regen Challenge, a CSR initiative from PepsiCo, is designed and delivered by the ^delta prize (AIC NCORE Developmental Impact Foundation). It invites non-profit organisations and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to lead the adoption of farmer-centric, low-risk, and high-yield regenerative agriculture practices. The objective is to restore soil health across India while raising the net incomes of smallholder farmers.

The programme runs over 24 months. In Year 1, selected organisations must demonstrate viability on 500 hectares, reaching 500 to 1,000 farmers. In Year 2, the focus shifts to scalability, covering 5,000 hectares and 5,000 to 10,000 farmers, organised into 2–5 contiguous blocks per district. Targets include doubling soil organic carbon from a baseline of 0.3% or less, and increasing smallholder farmer net incomes by at least 25% without raising cultivation costs.

Participants may propose context-specific practices such as composting, bio-inputs, crop rotation, intercropping, mulching, reduced tillage, agroforestry, biological pest management, and precision nutrient management. Technology-enabled models—remote sensing, digital advisory, and IoT systems—are also supported, with non-profits able to partner with agritech startups or research institutions for in-house capabilities.

• Initial Application: Submit your application online through the provided link before the 2 August 2026 deadline. The submission must include all necessary organisational details, project proposals, and documentation of prior experience.
• Screening and Evaluation: After submission, applications pass through an initial screening, followed by detailed jury assessments and interviews for those shortlisted. This phase examines feasibility, potential impact, and alignment with the challenge’s goals.
• Due Diligence and Field Evaluation: Shortlisted applicants move on to field evaluations and thorough due diligence to confirm the information provided and gauge on-ground implementation capacity.
• Selection and Kickoff: A final group of 5–8 challengers is chosen. The programme commences with initial grants and baseline evaluations scheduled from October to December 2026.

Applications are first screened for eligibility and fit with the challenge’s objectives. Shortlisted candidates then move to jury evaluations and interviews, where experts review project design, scalability, and team capability. The final phase includes field assessments and due diligence to confirm operational readiness on the ground. From this process, a cohort of 5 to 8 organisations is chosen for the 24-month programme.