Four eco-enterprises from Ghana receive SWITCH Africa Green-SEED Awards

Four innovative start-ups from Ghana have emerged winners of UN-backed 2016 SWITCH Africa Green-SEED Awards for eco-inclusive innovation.

They form part of a group of 20 award winners from eight African countries whose business models help to overcome sustainable development challenges of those countries.

Winners will receive technical assistance and six months of free, tailor-made support to develop their business.

The four enterprises from Ghana are:

“City Waste Recycling” provides responsible waste processing for a wide range of materials. It is pioneering recycling of electronic waste in Ghana, which is commonly burned without authorisation. The enterprise has further set up the only refrigerator degassing plant in sub-Saharan Africa and has created social security and health insurance to hundreds of waste collectors in the informal sector.
 

“Eco-Shoes” designs and markets shoes, slippers, sandals, belts and bags from upcycled truck tires and scrap metal. The products are produced by local disabled artisans, providing them with a livelihood while recycling waste at the same time. So far, Eco-Shoes has upcycled thousands of truck tires and over 100 tonnes of scrap metal to create fashionable shoes and accessories.
 

“Farmerline” provides information and services needed by farmers through its mobile software technology MERGDATA. The localised data help transform smallholder farmers into successful entrepreneurs and mitigate effects from climate change. The software and applications are marketed to institutions and farmers, and additional financial services increase farmers’ access to savings and loans.
 

“Unique Quality Product Enterprise” represents the first business in Ghana that adds value to Fonio, a neglected, indigenous and nutritious grain crop that grows well on unfertilised marginal land. The company mobilises and supports landless rural women to cultivate Fonio, and processes and markets the products in rural and urban markets, therefore providing rural livelihoods and contributing to food security while supporting the revitalisation of degraded soils.

Founded in 2002 by UN Environment, UN Development and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the SEED global partnership recognises the most innovative, environmentally friendly start-ups in developing countries and provides them with technical support and business know-how to help them grow and share their experiences.

“Small and growing businesses in developing countries are helping drive green economies, and are vital to achieving global goals for green growth,” said Erik Solheim, Head of UN Environment.” The 2016 SEED Winners are exceptional examples of entrepreneurial talent that not only support green growth goals, but inspire other individuals and businesses to contribute as well. From innovative waste management in Mauritius to solar power deployment in Burkina Faso, SEED Winners are driving their local and national economies toward resource efficiency, and growing Africa as a hub of sustainability innovation."

This year's 20 SEED Award winners include companies and cooperatives from Burkina Faso, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa and Uganda whose business models help to overcome sustainable development challenges of those countries.

By facilitating the scale-up and replication of eco-innovations SEED boosts local economies and tackles poverty, while promoting the sustainable use of natural resources and ecosystems.

The 2016 SAG-SEED Awards are sponsored by the SWITCH Africa Green Project implemented by UN Environment and funded by the European Union.

A special SEED Gender Equality Award aimed at promoting gender equality and women's empowerment will go to a community-based initiative in Kenya, which uses renewable energy to enable women entrepreneurs run a restaurant and catering, and offer sanitation and phone-charging services.

Every SEED Award winner will receive free access to supporting institutions, and tailor-made assistance over a period of six months to develop their business.

The support methodology and content is based on more than 10 years of experience in assisting eco-inclusive enterprises worldwide. The winners will also join a network of more than 200 enterprises from 38 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America – laureates of the SEED Awards.

All Winners are honoured at the International Awards Ceremony held at the SEED Africa Symposium in Nairobi, Kenya.