The Grassroots Innovation for Inclusive Development (GRIND) Program is a pioneering program of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) that aims to empower marginalized communities by developing and strengthening existing Grassroots Innovations (GIs) and establishing the initiative countrywide.

Since 2023, the GICE Expo has provided a platform for grassroots innovators from regions implementing the GRIND program to showcase their work. This year, with the theme “Empowering Sustainable Solutions,” the GICE Expo featured the Search for Best GICE, which included 27 entries categorized under grassroots innovation or circular economy solutions.

Alongside the competition were presentations from local and international resource speakers. Dr. Anil K. Gupta of the Honeybee Network and Prof. Adrian Smith of the University of Sussex Business School led the session titled “Perspective Experiences: Challenges for GI and CE.” Additionally, Ms. Salika Samad, a Langkit weaver and the winner of the 2023 GICE Expo GI Category, shared her innovation journey with fellow innovators. The expo demonstrated the strength of local ingenuity in addressing pressing sustainability challenges and was held at The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites in Davao City on November 12, 2024.

In his keynote address, DOST Secretary, Dr. Renato R. Solidum, Jr., emphasized that grassroots innovations not only underscore the importance of Science and Technology (S&T) but also reflect the Filipino values of empathy and malasakit. “These GIs are ideas emanating from marginalized and informal sectors,” Dr. Solidum noted. He also stressed the importance of inclusivity in science, technology, and innovation, with the GRIND Program serving as a key initiative of the Department to promote this vision.

DOST VI is one of the Year 2 implementing regions of the GRIND program. The implementation of the program in the region ought to identify and assess GIs that address relevant community issues, provide appropriate and location-specific science and technology (S&T) packages, establish a network of advocates and experts to assist GIs and their innovators, and recommend and lobby for GI-related policies to local legislative bodies. Engr. Hazel Lynn C. Maganto, the Regional Focal Person for GRIND, and Karen Clyde M. Pama, the Project Staff for GRIND, represented DOST VI during the GICE Expo. (KCMPama, KFADuspar/RDIMS)