Recovering better: Global opportunities to jumpstart the real economy
Published: 31 July 2020
While the coronavirus pandemic presents enormous health and economic challenges, there are also opportunities to jumpstart economies and rebuild societies through green recovery plans that are aligned with the 2030 Agenda. This was the main takeaway of a dialogue that took place at Recovering better: Global opportunities for jumpstarting the real economy #GO4SDGs, a side event at the 2020 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF 2020). Read more
Eco-Inclusive Enterprises: Forerunners in Advancing the SDGs | SEED SDG Impact Snapshot
Published: 15 July 2020 Linde Wolters, Mirko Zürker, Net Pornlumon Nirachatsuwan
As governments respond to the wide-ranging problems resulting from the COVID-19 crisis, it’s worth thinking about how we may take this opportunity to shift towards a green economy. Because the way we recover from this crisis will impact our fight against climate change and our progress towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
A green recovery calls for investments in solutions that provide social, environmental and economic benefits to people, especially those in vulnerable and marginalised communities. SEED-supported eco-inclusive enterprises and other Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) already promote green-technologies while including low-income people in their value chain.
The SEED Impact Snapshot helps to reveal the versatility of the impact of eco-inclusive enterprises. It also helps to clarify where there is the biggest potential for their SDG contributions and how policymakers may help unlock that potential further. Read more
A green recovery calls for investments in solutions that provide social, environmental and economic benefits to people, especially those in vulnerable and marginalised communities. SEED-supported eco-inclusive enterprises and other Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) already promote green-technologies while including low-income people in their value chain.
The SEED Impact Snapshot helps to reveal the versatility of the impact of eco-inclusive enterprises. It also helps to clarify where there is the biggest potential for their SDG contributions and how policymakers may help unlock that potential further. Read more
SDGs:
SMEs for an African Green Economy
Published: 14 July 2020
On July 1st, Lewis Akenji, Executive Director of SEED, participated in a webinar that showcased the work that SEED and other organisations are currently doing to build a green, fair future for Africa. The webinar was part of the African Forum on Green Economy series of webinars that ran from April to July 2020. Read more
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Status quo and future outlook: what does COVID-19 mean for BDS providers in India?
Published: 14 July 2020 Amar Munnolimath, Dr. Malini Balakrishnan, Elena Eckhardt
To assess the status quo and future outlook of what COVID-19 means for BDS providers in India, SEED India Hub invited BDS providers to take part in a virtual co-creation session. During the co-creation session that took place on 28th May 2020, BDS providers identified several challenges that both enterprises and BDS providers face due to COVID-19 and prototyped novel solutions addressing persistent challenges. Read more
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Nature's Nectar Limited (Zambia) wins Energy Globe Award
Energy Globe Award Source: Energy Globe Award
The 2019 SEED Africa Award Finalist is awarded National Winner of the "Energy Globe“ World Award for Sustainability. Read more
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Green Bio Energy Ltd (Uganda) wins Energy Globe Award
Energy Globe Awards Source: Energy Globe Awards
The 2014 SEED Low Carbon Award Winner awarded National Winner of the "Energy Globe“ World Award for Sustainability. Read more
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Last mile distribution startup Frontier Markets raises $2.25M in Pre-Series A
Sujata Sangwan Source: Your Story
The 2014 SEED Low Carbon Award winner Jaipur-based last mile rural distribution startup, Frontier Markets, on Monday announced that it has raised $2.25 million in a Pre-Series A funding round. Read more
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Closing The Loop With Climate-Smart Waste Management Solutions: Replicator Workbook
Published: 07 July 2020
Current amounts of waste generation and insufficient waste management affect ecosystems worldwide negatively. Thus, the waste management sector is a promising area for reducing pressure on our natural resources and carbon emissions. Managing waste through strategies such as rethinking products, reducing resource use and recycling materials contribute towards a more circular economy. Climate-smart solutions presented in this workbook transform waste into entirely new materials, such as pavement tiles, alternative house building blocks, or paper made from grass. Get inspired by proven business models around the globe and learn how to create impactful and innovative solutions around waste management for your community. Read more
SDGs:
Health And Hygiene: Improving Access To Climate-Smart WASH Products: Replicator Workbook
Published: 07 July 2020
Water is one of the main channels through which people, ecosystems and economies will feel climate change impacts. Missing access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) still poses challenges to people worldwide, while unsustainable products and services can have a big negative impact on both human and environmental health. Access to climate-smart WASH products & services leads to healthier lifestyles on personal and community levels while equally promoting environmental action. With eco-friendly yet innovative products, you can decrease vulnerabilities or tap into a growing market of environmentally-conscious customers. Exploit this potential and set up your own eco-inclusive enterprise providing access to climate-smart WASH products & services. Learn from proven business models around the globe and take the first steps towards offering sustainable solutions to your community. Read more
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Climate-Smart Technology Solutions For Households: Replicator Workbook
Published: 07 July 2020
Energy production and consumption are the largest sources of global greenhouse gas emissions. Economic development will increase people’s need for access to reliable and affordable energy further. Smart energy solutions focus on making climate-smart technology available and affordable to households. These solutions have the potential to improve living conditions and strengthens the economic conditions of communities. They come from renewable sources, make use of an off-grid design, or, through their energy efficiency and conservation, avoid and reduce emissions. Innovative energy products improve accessibility to climate-smart technology and provide additional capacity-building in rural areas through technical training. Get inspired by a range of proven business models and learnings on how to set up your own enterprise to create such benefits for households in your community. Read more
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Climate-Smart Innovation In Agricultural Production And Distribution: Replicator Workbook
Published: 07 July 2020
Smallholder and subsistence farmers are likely to suffer from rising temperatures and extreme weather events; while on the other hand, agriculture itself is a relevant driver of impacts on the climate. This shows how crucial it is to develop climate-smart ways of production and distribution in agriculture and which important role eco-inclusive enterprises play in contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation. Climate-resilient farming methods, sustainable value chains, and innovative products and methods bring innovation to the agricultural sector. Contribute to climate-smart agriculture by replicating an eco-inclusive enterprise providing innovations in production and distribution. Get inspired by various proven business models and take the first steps towards agricultural innovations in your own community! Read more
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Scaling Policy and Financial Instruments for Eco-Inclusive SME Support | SEED South Africa Symposium 2020
Published: 06 July 2020 Camilla Shearman, Maggie Sloan
On 6th May, Mr Tlou Ramaru, Chief Director of Climate Change Adaptation in the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF), welcomed enterprises, financial institutions, policy-makers, donors, and business development service providers to a Pitching Session during the online SEED South Africa Symposium 2020. This Pitching Session brought together stakeholders who have been actively designing policy and financial instruments to support the start-up and scale-up of climate-smart and socially inclusive enterprises in South Africa. Read more
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Supporting eco-inclusive enterprises in their immediate response to COVID-19 impacts
Published: 25 June 2020 Elena Eckhardt
SEED is supporting enterprise resilience in the context of COVID-19. Informed by a series of interviews with 30 SEED-supported enterprises conducted in early 2020, SEED launched a toolkit, workshop series for eco-inclusive enterprises, as well as a Training of Trainers for Business Development Services (BDS) providers across Africa and Asia to offer much-needed support. Read more
Why SMEs are essential to Uganda’s post-pandemic economic recovery
Published: 18 June 2020 Edirisa Sembatya, Lewis Akenji
The Covid-19 pandemic has jolted national governments the world over to provide emergency support to vulnerable parts of society and the economy. SEED has recently observed that many eco-inclusive MSMEs are pivoting their business models to stay relevant. However, challenges with working capital and the high cost of doing business show a need for a safety net or relief to MSMEs. Read more
Enterprise Financing Journey: EcoPlastile Ltd
Published: 18 June 2020
EcoPlastile Ltd (SEED Low Carbon Award Finalist 2019) works with marginalised populations, including youth and women, to collect plastic waste at various collection centres and transforms it into durable building materials in Kampala, Uganda. Read more
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Enterprise Financing Journey: Green Bio Energy
Published: 18 June 2020
Green Bio Energy (SEED Low Carbon Award Winner 2014) produces eco-friendly briquettes, made from carbonised 100% recycled bio-material, that burn for longer and hotter than other briquettes, and provide social and environmental impacts in Kampala, Uganda. Read more
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Enterprise Financing Journey: Green Heat
Published: 18 June 2020
Green Heat (SEED Low Carbon Award Winner 2014) provides innovative and cost-effective energy, waste and fertiliser solutions for homes, schools, farms and commercial buildings in Kampala, Uganda. The core business model is the conversion of waste to biofuel through biogas digesters, and the production of briquettes from waste. Read more
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Enterprise Financing Journey: Khainza Energy
Published: 18 June 2020
Khainza Energy (SEED Low Carbon Award Winner 2018) is committed to transform organic waste into clean, safe, and affordable cooking fuel and to provide this renewable energy solutions to Ugandans. It is an innovative circular economy business that obtains organic waste from smallholder farms and local households for processing and refinement into high-purity methane. Read more
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Enterprise Financing Journey: Village Energy
Published: 18 June 2020
Village Energy (SEED Africa Award Winner 2015) provides lasting solar solutions to institutions and households, through providing customised systems and specialised after sales servicing and repair in Kampala, Uganda. Village Energy recruits and trains technicians to build a regional servicing, distribution and supply chain network.
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Filling the Missing Middle Financing Gap | Scoping Paper, India 2020
Published: 16 June 2020 Kathrin Kirsch, Marlena Kiefl
This scoping paper provides the basis for the implementation of the collaborative, multi-step process of the SEED Practitioner Labs Climate Finance in India in 2020. India’s vibrant landscape of MSMEs presents an opportunity for diversified socio-economic growth. In light of climate change, climate-smart enterprises – offering products and services for climate change adaptation and/or mitigation – are well-positioned to absorb global climate finance flows to create environmental, social and economic impacts in line with India’s climate action objectives. However, climate-smart MSMEs cannot fulfill their full potential as they lack appropriate access to finance to grow and scale their operations resulting in a missing-middle-financing gap. Read more
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Rebooting the economy during and after COVID-19 crisis by supporting eco-inclusive enterprises
Published: 28 May 2020 Ebenezer Kumi, Jonas Restle-Steinert
In many emerging countries like Ghana, reducing the impact of COVID-19 and charting the path to a regenerative economy during and after the pandemic may not lie in big financial stimulus packages for all types of businesses in general. A targeted and tailored support for eco-inclusive SMEs that are more concerned about social and environmental issues is essential. Read more
Digital Innovations: Data-Driven Eco-inclusive Enterprises
Published: 25 May 2020 Khawla Rammali, Sonya Ong
The use of and access to data allows enterprises to make better and faster decisions. Data can help reveal patterns and trends in human behaviour of relevance inside and outside the sectors enterprises operate in. Read about why ListenField embraces digital innovation and how it has helped them scale-up their impact. Read more
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BDS+ Special Focus Malawi: Three reasons to join a Training of Trainers in Malawi
Published: 22 May 2020 Lina Gutierrez, Linde Wolters
SEED quality training contributes to the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Malawi. This helps increase local livelihoods in the green sector and tackles Malawi’s pressing issue of unemployment, especially among the youth population. Read more
BDS+ Special Focus Thailand: Three reasons to join a Training of Trainers in Thailand
Published: 22 May 2020 Lina Gutierrez, Linde Wolters
SEED ToTs grants business development service (BDS) advisors access to SEED tools,network and hub, helping you connect with peers, government and corporate actors, and inviting you to help build the ecosystem in the country. Read more
Adapting to business-not-as-usual during COVID-19
Published: 18 May 2020 Sonya Ong
Business was looking up for Fadzai Munyuki and her team at Kudiwa Waste & Energy Solutions earlier this year. Then operations had to stop suddenly following the orders of the Zimbabwean government, who like many others, initiated a 21 day restricted movement order as a response to the corona virus. Read more
