World Earth Day is here. Yet another day reminding us of the importance of preserving the only home we have. It urges us to restore what has been lost – to revive the rivers that once flowed with crystal-clear water, to replenish the earth with trees again and help the land regain its fertility and all the attributes it once possessed.

This day calls for a global movement, for clean water, clean air, clean energy and climate stability by protecting the present not-so-clean sky, the not-so-clean air, the not-so-clean water and thus help them rejuvenate.

At Akshaya Patra, we are committed to serving mid-day meals to children under PM POSHAN Abhiyaan (Mid-Day Meal Programme or MDM) while ensuring our operations remain environmentally sustainable. We employ different methods to reduce its carbon footprint.

Our Eco-Friendly Initiatives include:

• Solar Powered Kitchens
Many of our kitchen rooftops are equipped with solar PV panels, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Our Barsana kitchen in Uttar Pradesh is fully operated by solar. In the financial year 2025-26, with 3,825 kW of solar capacity across all our kitchens, we reduced 2,577 tonnes of CO2, which is equivalent to the carbon absorption of 1,17,124 trees.

• Electric Vehicles
Our fleet includes 203 Electric Vehicles (EVs) delivering freshly prepared, warm, nutritious mid-day meals to children across India while reducing carbon emissions in the road transport sector. Our aim is to expand to 1,000 EVs by 2030. In the financial year 2025-26 alone, these EVs have reduced 582 tonnes of carbon emissions, which is equivalent to planting 26,436 trees.

• Biogas Plants
We manage our organic solid waste through biogas plants, converting it into energy and thus reducing our dependence on LPG. Currently, fifteen of our kitchens have biogas plants converting 340 metric tonnes of waste. This is equivalent to planting 1,818 trees.

• IIOT Enablement of Kitchens for Smart Control
By enabling Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT) technologies across all our kitchens. Smart sensors and data-driven systems allow real-time monitoring and control over the massive-scale cooking processes. This helps reduce food waste, optimise energy and water usage and lower overall carbon emissions. Our target is to optimise resource consumption by 20% through this technology.

• Biomass Briquettes
Instead of conventional fuels like coal and charcoal, we use biomass briquettes, made from agricultural waste such as wood pieces, grain husks and banana peel, to prepare mid-day meals.

• FIFO and FEFO
We follow FIFO (First In, First Out) and FEFO (First Expired, First Out) principles, which ensure ingredients are used in a timely manner, reducing food waste and thus maintaining the quality and nutritional value of every meal served.

• Effluent Treatment Plants
We also use Effluent Treatment Plants (ETPs) to reuse water and reduce freshwater usage. The treated water is often used for gardening, cleaning vehicles and other cleaning purposes.

Bring Your Power into Action This Earth Day

There are many ways in which you can contribute to reviving the Earth. Plant a tree, volunteer in cleaning natural resources like rivers, beaches or natural tourist spots, use public transport to reduce carbon emissions or use eco-friendly products.

Along with your individual contributions, multiply your impact by supporting Akshaya Patra’s cause. When you donate online to serve mid-day meals, you are also doing a world of good for the earth through our sustainable practices. Together, let’s make an impact, both on children and the Earth we all live on.

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is one of India’s largest non-profit organisations dedicated to addressing classroom hunger and supporting education. By providing mid-day meals to millions of government school children, the Foundation ensures that nutrition becomes a pathway to learning, attendance and improved academic performance. Today, Akshaya Patra serves over 2.35 million children across 23,000+ government schools in 78 locations spanning multiple states and union territories.

The organisation works in partnership with the Government of India under the PM POSHAN (MDM) programme, preparing and delivering freshly cooked, nutritious food every school day. Over the years, this initiative has not only helped reduce classroom hunger but has also improved enrolment, retention and overall child well-being. While nutrition remains the core mission, Akshaya Patra recognises that responsible service must also consider environmental sustainability.

Why Sustainability Matters

Large-scale meal distribution involves extensive transportation and fuel consumption. As organisations grow their outreach, it becomes important to ensure that operational efficiency aligns with environmental responsibility. Sustainable logistics helps reduce emissions while ensuring that essential nutrition programmes continue seamlessly.

By adopting eco-friendly transportation methods, Akshaya Patra strengthens the long-term impact of mid-day meals, ensuring that the effort to nourish children also contributes toward building cleaner and healthier communities.

Akshaya Patra’s EV Initiative

In its commitment to sustainability, Akshaya Patra has introduced electric vehicles (EVs) into its meal delivery fleet. Traditionally, transporting meals across cities and rural areas relied heavily on conventional fuel-based vehicles. The introduction of EVs marks a significant step toward reducing carbon emissions while maintaining efficiency and reliability in the meal distribution system.

Today, Akshaya Patra operates over 100 EVs in its delivery fleet, strengthening its environmentally responsible logistics framework. The Foundation has also implemented route optimisation strategies, resulting in 8–12% improved fuel efficiency across transportation operations. These efforts ensure timely and efficient delivery under the school meal programme while contributing toward sustainable mobility solutions.

Impact of EV Integration

The adoption of EVs has generated measurable environmental benefits. Akshaya Patra’s transition toward electric mobility has helped save approximately 418 tons of CO₂ emissions annually, significantly reducing the carbon footprint associated with delivering mid-day meals across multiple regions.

Beyond environmental advantages, EV integration also demonstrates how large-scale nutrition programmes can successfully balance operational efficiency with sustainability goals. By strengthening green logistics, Akshaya Patra continues to enhance service reliability while contributing to climate-conscious development.

How You Can Support

Community participation plays a vital role in expanding both nutrition and sustainability initiatives. Individual donations help strengthen meal programmes and enable the Foundation to expand eco-friendly delivery systems such as EV integration. Every contribution supports the continuation of essential nutrition services while helping build greener transportation solutions.

Supporters can also encourage awareness about responsible and sustainable feeding initiatives. Continued donations ensure that nutritious meals reach children consistently while helping the organisation scale environmentally responsible logistics.

CSR Partnerships with EV Focus

Corporate partnerships play a crucial role in strengthening sustainability initiatives. Akshaya Patra actively collaborates with organisations interested in combining social impact with environmental responsibility. CSR collaborations can support fleet electrification, charging infrastructure, and expansion of green delivery models.

Companies partnering with Akshaya Patra contribute to a meaningful dual impact, strengthening child nutrition programmes while supporting climate-conscious operations. Through strategic donations and CSR engagement, corporates can help accelerate the transition towards sustainable meal delivery systems.

Driving Nutrition with Sustainability

Akshaya Patra’s EV initiative reflects a forward-looking vision where classroom hunger relief and environmental stewardship move together. By delivering nutritious food through sustainable logistics, the Foundation continues to redefine how social impact programmes can contribute to a greener future. Through collective effort and continued support, every meal served becomes a step toward nourishing children and protecting the planet.