Enterprise Brief: Khepri Biosciences
Published: 06 July 2015
Responding to food insecurity and the increasing cost of animal farming in rural South Africa, Khepri Biosciences is piloting the cultivation of insect larvae on abattoir refuse, processing them into low cost, high protein animal feed. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: EcoBrick Exchange
Published: 06 July 2015
By turning rubbish into building materials, the EcoBrick Exchange tackles plastic pollution on the streets, teaches environmental awareness, generates community participation, and assists in building education centres. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Terra Nova Waste to Farming
Published: 06 July 2015
Terra Nova Waste to Farming employs individuals in vulnerable conditions to produce natural fertiliser out of organic urban waste. The compost reduces the amount of urban solid waste at local dumps and improves soil fertility and crop yields in the region. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Days for Girls Uganda
Published: 06 July 2015
Days for Girls Uganda empowers girls and women around menstrual hygiene. Partnering with local community groups, the enterprise provides training for women to produce and distribute washable menstrual hygiene kits and soaps, while supporting with business training, reproductive health education, and community awareness. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: SavvyLoo
Published: 06 July 2015
SavvyLoo combines a waterless toilet with a low-tech solution to generate energy from human waste. The system is designed to separate liquids from solids using solar heat and dehydration, thus reducing harmful pathogens. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Bwengu Tomato Production and Processing
Published: 06 July 2015
Bwengu Tomato Production and Processing is a cooperative that applies a resource efficient system for tomato plantations. Its members run a water-saving drip irrigation system for the plantations and sell both raw tomatoes as well as tomato sauce in nearby markets. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: RK Renew Energy PLC
Published: 06 July 2015
RK Renew Energy PLC uses local resources to produce improved ceramic cookstoves. Women from rural and semi-urban areas are trained to build the ceramic stoves and to distribute and sell them in Ethiopian refugee camps. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Black Gold Farm Manure
Published: 06 July 2015
Black Gold Farm Manure sells natural fertiliser produced from chicken manure and farm residues acquired from local smallholder farmers to households and farms in Malawi, providing training and employment to women and farmers from local communities. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: RECAPO CBO
Published: 06 July 2015
RECAPO CBO offers clean, renewable and affordable energy to residents in rural Malawi, where over 90% of the population has no access to grid electricity. Its affordable Pay-As-You-Go model allows low-income households to exchange expensive and polluting lighting and electrical systems for solar solutions. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Peacock Seeds
Published: 06 July 2015
Peacock Seeds supplies farmers across Malawi with certified maize and legume seeds that can adapt to climate change. The seeds support food security and empower smallholder farmers by increasing their income in the long run. Read more
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Enterprise Brief: Vula Mobile
Published: 06 July 2015
Vula Mobile has developed a mobile phone app that empowers rural health professionals to provide efficient and effective eye care by accessing accurate information and connecting to specialists. The higher quality of primary care to patients reduces the impact of treatable and reversible illnesses. Read more
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What role for eco-entrepreneurship in the Post-2015 agenda?
Published: 19 June 2015 Anais Mangin, Helen Marquard
The Millennium Development Goals have shaped development cooperation in the last 15 years, and there has been progress towards eliminating poverty worldwide. Nevertheless, much remains to be done. Read more
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Breaking the taboo: how managing menstruation in a hygienic and environment-friendly way can empower thousands of girls and women while reducing waste in developing countries
Published: 02 June 2015 Amélie Heuër, Anais Mangin
While it may have gone unnoticed to many, the 28th of May was the International Menstrual Hygiene Day; a day initiated by WASH United to create awareness around the right of women and girls to hygienically manage their menstruation – in privacy, safety and with dignity – where ever they are. Read more
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Meet the SEED Accelerator recipients and VOTE NOW for the SEED Special Recognition Award!
Published: 28 May 2015
At the SEED South Africa Symposium 2015, SEED announced the Accelerator recipients. Read more
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Trees for Global Benefit, a SEED Story from Uganda
Published: 26 May 2015
Trees for Global Benefit is a cooperative carbon offsetting scheme linking small scale landholder farmers in Uganda to the voluntary carbon market, combining carbon sequestration with rural livelihood improvements through small-scale, farmer-led, agro-/forestry projects while reducing pressure on natural resources in national parks and forest reserves. Read more
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The Observer features stories about five SEED Winners in a special on climate change
Published: 26 May 2015
How can local communities help to save the environment and better their lives? To answer this question the Observer Tech Monthly of the Guardian spoke with Helen Marquard, Executive Director of SEED. Read more
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IMAI Farming Cooperative, a SEED Story from South Africa
Published: 26 May 2015
IMAI Farming Cooperative is a women’s cooperative which has partnered with non-government organisations and government institutions and is increasing and stabilising farmers’ incomes and reducing waste by processing surplus fresh vegetable produce into pickles. The cooperative also encourages organic farming. Read more
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Green Heat, a SEED Story from Uganda
Published: 26 May 2015
Green Heat is an enterprise installing and marketing biogas digesters that convert decaying organic material from latrines and agricultural waste into biogas fuel for cooking and heating. By using biogas digesters, urban and rural households, schools, prisons, hospitals and tourist lodges in Uganda reduce their dependence on firewood and charcoal, improve their waste management systems, and help reduce deforestation and greenhouse gas emission rates related to methane release. Read more
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Green Bio Energy, a SEED Story from Uganda
Published: 26 May 2015
Green Bio Energy is a social enterprise, which offers low-income Ugandan families access to cost-saving, eco-friendly and safe energy solutions. They produce and sell Briketi Charcoal Briquettes, as well as an own brand of energy-efficient stoves, Briketi Eco Stoves. The enterprise also provides individuals and organizations with trainings on micro-enterprise management or briquettes production, and sells equipments for small-scale briquettes production. Read more
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Reel Gardening, a SEED Story from South Africa
Published: 26 May 2015
Claire Reid Reel Gardening provides consumers with a pre-fertilised seed strip that encases seeds at the correct depth and distance apart and offers planting instructions in seven languages. Implemented by a youth organisation with assistance from government and social development programmes, the initiative aims to create sustainable subsistence gardens throughout South Africa. Read more
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greenABLE, a SEED Story from South Africa
Published: 26 May 2015
greenABLE has found an innovative solution for recycling empty printer cartridges. The recycled plastic and metals are sold, generating a steady flow of income and employment opportunities for previously unemployed persons with disabilities. Jobs are being created in the enterprise’s recycling facility or as greenAGENTS who run their own home-based cartridge collection business and sell the collected cartridges back to the enterprise. Read more
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Botanica Natural Products, a SEED Story from South Africa
Published: 26 May 2015
Botanica Natural Products has developed a method of extracting beneficial substances from Bulbine frutescens, a traditional medicinal plant, for the cosmetic industry. The plant is cultivated and processed organically in its indigenous location in rural Limpopo, and its commercial use provides employment opportunities in the marginalised area. The local community further benefits through an Access and Benefit Sharing agreement. Read more
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From telegraph to internet – How can entrepreneurship help bridge the digital divide?
Published: 17 May 2015 Jona Liebl
In the middle of the 19th century, the invention of the telegraph was transforming societies: instead of sending letters by horses or ships which could take weeks or even months, messages could now be delivered within minutes. Read more
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Ten years of SEED Awards (2005-2015): A rich experience in promoting entrepreneurship for sustainable development
Published: 20 April 2015 Anais Mangin, Helen Marquard
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How the business of bees contributes to sustainable development
Published: 10 April 2015 Amélie Heuër, Carolin Ehrensperger
Bees play a vital part in our natural ecosystems as they are responsible for the pollination of many fruit, nuts, vegetables and other species. Read more
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