Why the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs supported SEED since its inception in 2002
Published: 29 January 2015 Amélie Heuër, Christopher Whaley
The UK has been a strong supporter of SEED since it was established in 2002. It has been a real pleasure to see SEED grow from a small biennial awards scheme, with a modest research programme, to a much broader global initiative promoting social and environmental entrepreneurship. Read more
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Small meets big: How partnering with large corporations can scale impact of sustainable entrepreneurs
Published: 23 December 2014 Anais Mangin, Helen Marquard
Are locally-driven social and environmental enterprises too small to have an impact? We at SEED don’t think so, and Organic Africa demonstrates that. In 2007, when everyone was leaving Zimbabwe due to political and economic turmoil, Dominikus Collenberg started to train smallholders in the organic production of herbs, spices and oils. Read more
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Pathways to a greener economy: why mountain farming should not be overlooked
Published: 11 December 2014 Jona Liebl, Magdalena Kloibhofer
Today is International Mountain Day. Are you wondering what this is all about? We did too when we first heard of it. Read more
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Launch of the Inclusive Business Action Network: SEED shares insights on green and inclusive business and successful partnerships
Published: 10 December 2014
SEED and its hosting partner Adelpi Research participated in the launch of the Inclusive Business Action Network (IB Action Network) that took place on 18-20 November 2014 in Berlin, Germany. Read more
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Social and Green Enterprises – How to Create Enabling Frameworks to Increase their Contribution to Sustainable Development?
Published: 04 November 2014 Amélie Heuër
Over the last four years, SEED has hosted a series of unique multi-stakeholder for a focussed on the Green Economy and Africa - the SEED Symposia - where each year innovative and promising start-up enterprises, that won a SEED Award for their remarkable efforts to address social and environmental challenges at the grassroots, are presented. Read more
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Promoting entrepreneurship for sustainable development: why, and how?
Published: 23 October 2014 Helen Marquard
When UNEP, UNDP and IUCN decided to register the SEED Initiative as a Type II partnership at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, they clearly thought they were on to something – but possibly not quite what SEED is now. Read more
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Harnessing the potential of Baobab to provide Mozambican women with new income opportunities
Published: 22 October 2014 Jona Liebl, Mirko Zürker
They are one of the most visually-enthralling trees on the planet. The ancient Baobab – endemic mostly to semi-arid regions of tropical Africa including Mozambique – can live for over 1000 years. Read more
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From Mobile Solar Computer Classrooms to Novel Baobab Products: Green Entrepreneurship is Thriving Across Africa and Beyond
Published: 10 September 2014
Nairobi plays host to one of the largest gatherings of start-up social and environmental enterprises ever, as 41 green entrepreneurs are celebrated at the 2014 SEED Awards Africa Symposium. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Pro-Sofala Verde
Published: 05 September 2014
Pro-Sofala Verde (PSV) has established a co-operative that generates income and jobs for rural Mozambicans through the sustainable production of high-grade honey and reforestation. Honey will be sold in one-portion packages at affordable prices. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Women’s Off-season Vegetable Production Group
Published: 05 September 2014
The enterprise uses agricultural techniques, notably poly-tunnels and greenhouses, to grow and market organic vegetables in a climate where weather usually limits year-round production. The aim is to improve food security and nutrition while empowering marginalised women through job creation. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Growing the Future
Published: 05 September 2014
Growing The Future is an entrepreneurial programme promoting organic, sustainable and innovative food production in South African households. The programme combats food insecurity, promotes dietary variety, reduces household poverty and supports economic opportunities for the unemployed. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Arusha Women Entrepreneur
Published: 05 September 2014
Waste to Food (W2F) provides an alternative to the disposal of organic waste in landfills. A combination of two technologies offers a commercially profitable and scalable processing system for recycling food waste into high-quality compost. The franchise model fosters enterprise development. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Mesula - Meru Sustainable Land Ltd.
Published: 05 September 2014
Mesula – Meru Sustainable Land supports small entrepreneurs in developing the capacity to farm sustainably and trade the produce at a fair market price. Mesula creates a new value chain from producers to consumers sensitive to the risks of unregulated conventional farming. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: BUWOBE
Published: 05 September 2014
BUWOBE is a co-operative beekeeping enterprise producing honey and beeswax products. In mobilising women in the Masindi region to become beekeepers, the enterprise uses the honey business as a vehicle for community development, including promotion of sustainable land use and climate change adaptation. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: KadAfrica: Girls Agro Investment (GAIN) Project
Published: 05 September 2014
The Girls Agro-Investment (GAIN) Project trains rural school-aged girls to manage and run small-holder agricultural businesses in passion fruit farming. Empowering the girls to pass on their knowledge to their communities, the project offers an economic alternative to rural exodus. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Southwestern Women Bean Growers and Marketing Cooperative Union
Published: 05 September 2014
The enterprise works to rally together the existing smallholder sugar bean women farmers in South Western Uganda. Women joining the co-operative marketing union are empowered to increase production, value addition and sales through training, social support, and wide market access. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: The Sustainable Mushroom Farming Initiative
Published: 05 September 2014
Oyster mushrooms are often illegally harvested in Kanungu’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, threatening the local gorilla colony as people disturb their habitat. The enterprise provides an alternative commercial source of mushrooms, creating a new local industry and conserving the gorilla’s native habitat. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Elegance Company Ltd.
Published: 05 September 2014
Together with local farmers, Elegance Company Ltd. has developed a zero-waste and closed-loop agricultural system that increases agricultural yields substantially. A demonstration farm in the area serves to showcase the system and to provide consultancy to farmers interested in adopting it. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Precious Life Foundation’s Outgrower Project
Published: 05 September 2014
Vulnerable women living at Precious Life Foundation’s farm centre are taught bio-intensive agricultural techniques like sack potato production in order to become self-sufficient. The women then provide training, support, and resources to their community to increase yields and thereby food security. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Last Forest Enterprises
Published: 31 August 2014
Last Forest provides a marketing platform for 68 kinds of organic and forest-based products and spreads the message of fair trade principles, sustainable harvesting, biodiversity and value-added indigenous products. Incubated by the Keystone Foundation, the enterprise also provides business development services. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Honey Products Industries
Published: 31 August 2014
Honey Products Industries creates an agribusiness value chain out of high-quality honey. The honey is sourced from independent smallholder beekeepers, packaged and processed in factory hubs and distributed across the country via a franchise model. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Baobab Products Mozambique
Published: 31 August 2014
Baobab Products Mozambique (BPM) creates a local value chain around Baobob fruits, buying pulp and seeds from women harvesters, before processing it into nutrient-rich powder and oils. The products are sold nationally and internationally. Read more
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Early stage impact investing: a call for action
Published: 18 August 2014 Anais Mangin
The exponential growth of small, micro and medium enterprises (SMMEs) in Africa, Asia and Latin America has contributed significantly to the burgeoning green economy. Read more
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How Women Entrepreneurs are contributing to the Green Economy
Published: 01 August 2014 Anais Mangin
Particularly women are increasingly perceived to play a significant role in realising the transformation to a greener economy and poverty reduction in countries with developing economies. Read more
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Making green and social entrepreneurship work for all in the developing world
Published: 01 June 2014 Amélie Heuër, Helen Marquard
With the target date for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) approaching, consultations are taking place globally to draw out insights that can contribute to the “Post-2015 Development Agenda and Framework”. Read more
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