Biodiversity

Biodiversity conservation is critical to maintaining ecosystems and the essential economic, social and ecological services that these ecosystems offer for human well-being, sustainable development and climate resiliency. At SEED, we directly support enterprises whose business activities conserve species, habitats and ecosystems while integrating local, indigenous and rural communities into their value chains. SEED-supported enterprises are active in the areas of eco-tourism, reforestation and agroforestry, beekeeping, natural cosmetics, food production and more.

Promoting Zimbabwean entrepreneurship at Sankalp Africa Summit 2020

Published: 13 March 2020
As part of a panel at the Sankalp Africa summit 2020, four SEED representatives joined a panel on impact investing in Zimbabwe to do some myth busting and explain present investment opportunities in the country. Read more

SEED Congratulates Seven Malawi Enterprises on their Latest Success

Published: 28 February 2020
Seven of our SEED Malawi eco-inclusive enterprises - Chonona, Green Impact Technologies, Green Ventures, Honey Products, Hortinet, Inte Waste and Ziweto – were recently able to raise funds that will help them scale-up and achieve their full growth potential. Read more
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Seed Award Winner Gorilla Conservation Wins the St Andrews Prize for the Environment 2020

Authors: Source: THE ST ANDREWS PRIZE
Celebrating its 22nd award in 2020, the Prize is an environmental initiative by the University of St Andrews in Scotland. The award recognises significant contributions to environmental issues and concerns with a focus on sustainability, conservation, biodiversity and community development. Read more
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SEED Award Winner Lifepack Featured as an Eco-Friendly Biodegradable Packaging Solution to Plastic Pollution

Authors: Dan Edel Source: Intelligent Living
SEED Gender Equality Award Winner 2013 Lifepack, based in Colombia, has developed an amazing, 100% compostable product that can germinate plants within 8 days and biodegrade within 3 weeks. Each plant that germinates from a Lifepack will help to filter up to 1 ton of CO2. Read more
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Looking Beyond the Known: Changing Mindsets through Design-Led Entrepreneurial Solutions

Published: 31 October 2019Authors: Maggie Sloan
Ms Kasturi, Founder of Daily Dump (SEED Low Carbon Award Winner 2018), was welcomed as keynote speaker during the BEYOND THE KNOWN: Practitioners’ Exchange to Discover New Ways to Promote Entrepreneurship & Support MSME Development from 15-16th October at the GIZ Representation in Berlin. Read more
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Meet the SEED Awards 2019 Winners & Finalists

Published: 24 October 2019
Tackling poverty and climate change, generating employment opportunities and contributing to economic development, this year’s 14 SEED Award winners were selected from over nine hundred applicants and were recognised for solutions to major local and global challenges. Read more
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The SEED Awards 2019 highlight the contribution of green and social enterprises to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals

Published: 24 October 2019
Lilongwe, Malawi, Berlin, Germany, 24 October 2019 - Tackling poverty and climate change, generating employment opportunities and contributing to economic development, this year’s 14 SEED Award winners were selected from over 900 applicants and were recognised for solutions to major local and global challenges. Read more
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Incentivising activity in the biomass sector | Policy, South Africa 2019

Published: 21 October 2019Authors: Camilla Shearman, Julia Haack
This policy prototype looks to the biomass-to-energy value chain to pilot a mechanism that will catalyse sound decision-making in the biomass sector, leading to the implementation of sustainable invasive alien clearing, harvesting and biomass utilisation projects that connect to well-supported energy markets. In order to address the challenges that small and medium businesses in this sector currently face, the prototype involves setting up a knowledge-sharing platform to provide value chain specific information, biomass to energy case studies, and information on how to navigate regulatory frameworks, policy and fiscal incentives. Read more
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Coffee helps protect Uganda's endangered mountain gorillas

Authors: Deutsche Welle Source: Deutsche Welle
Gorilla Conservation Coffee is featured in this story by Deutsche Welle focusing on how coffee offers a more sustainable living for poor communities in the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. Read more

EcoAct Tanzania wins at 2019 Le Monde Cities Urban Innovation Awards

Authors: Par Marion Douet Source: Le Monde
2018 SEED Low Carbon Awards winner EcoAct Tanzania wins "Habitat" award at the 2019 Le Monde Cities Urban Innovation Awards. The Awards was presented on June 28 in Paris, France. EcoAct recycles and transforms plastic waste into sustainable building materials as an alternative to wood with the aim to preserve forests and mitigate negative climate change effects. [Article in French] Read more
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Gorilla Conservation Coffee shortlisted for the 2019 Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa.

Authors: Tusk News Source: Tusk News
The Duke Of Cambridge Celebrates Tusk's Front-Line Conservation Heroes: Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka of Gorilla Conservation Coffee has been shortlisted for the 2019 Tusk Award for Conservation in Africa. Read more
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Jardin Green Hope (Ngalée, De la terre à la terre), SEED Award Winner, is named top 15 in STARTUPPER OF THE YEAR AWARD in Burkina Faso

Authors: Source: Startupper of the Year
Jardin Green Hope (Ngalée, De la terre à la terre), SAG-SEED Award Winner in 2016, is named to top 15 finalists in the STARTUPPER OF THE YEAR AWARDS in Burkina Faso. The enterprise has installed the first industrial unit for organic fertiliser production and offers an innovative process capable of revitalising any type of organic waste. Read more
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Climate-smart innovation and how to adopt a polar bear

Published: 21 December 2018Authors: Kathrin Kirsch
Florian Rehm, participant from our Practitioner Lab Climate Finance in Thailand, developed the cutting-edge prototype for Last of Ours that merges digital innovation based on the blockchain, social entertainment and real-world impact for our planet’s endangered species and natural zones. Read more
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Wildchain: A Non-profit Conservation Innovation Lab | Climate Finance, Thailand 2018

Published: 20 December 2018Authors: Kathrin Kirsch, Marlena Kiefl
Wildchain brings people together to protect our planet’s endangered species and ecosystem by creating shared value between social entertainment and real-world impact. Wildchain lets people digitally adopt and raise some of earth’s rarest species within a digital sanctuary they can call home. Users are passively contributing to conservation and reforestation projects solely by participating in this entertainment ecosystem. Users may also actively allocate where their donations go on a fully transparent kickstarter-like platform which will represent the impact they have created. Read more
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GROVE: Blockchain-based conservation plaform for regenerative mangrove forestry | Climate Finance, Thailand 2018

Published: 20 December 2018Authors: Kathrin Kirsch
GROVE – the Global Reforestation Objective Virement Ecosystem – is set up by the Global Mangrove Trust (GMT). GROVE is a digital platform that runs as a decentralised foundation utilising smart contracts and satellite verification to crowdfund forest growth. Read more
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From Beehives to Market: Replicator Workbook

Published: 18 December 2018
This From Beehives to Market: Replicator Workbook preview provides insights and tools to entrepreneurs seeking to start-up an enterprise that capitalises on the many opportunities for processing and value-addition for known primary bee products. Our SEED Replicator Workbooks were developed to guide entrepreneurs through the process of transferring a proven successful business model to another geographic location using hands-on SEED tools and business model insights. Read more
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Sustainable Tourism Enterprises: Replicator Workbook

Published: 18 December 2018
This Sustainable Tourism Enterprises: Replicator Workbook preview provides insights and tools to entrepreneurs seeking to start-up an enterprise that explores opportunities along the tourism value chain. Our SEED Replicator Workbooks were developed to guide entrepreneurs through the process of transferring a proven successful business model to another geographic location using hands-on SEED tools and business model insights. Read more
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Your Eco-Inclusive Gift Inspiration INSIDE!

Published: 11 December 2018Authors: Sonya Ong
In this gift-giving holiday season, whether you are simply looking for stocking fillers or after something meaningful for a special someone, why not multiply the impact of your giving with gifts from eco-inclusive enterprises? Read more
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Case Study: Unique Quality Product Enterprise

Published: 07 September 2018
Unique Quality Product Enterprise (UQE) is an eco-inclusive enterprise located in Tamale in northern Ghana. Its business model is based on a market-leading approach to promote the production and processing of the cereal grain fonio. Read more
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Sustainable Future of Agro-Processing: Policy Pathways for Eco-Inclusive Enterprises in South Africa

Published: 01 June 2018Authors: Christine Meyer, Janet Mkhabela, Maggie Sloan
Innovation of the agro-processing sector has been identified – and supported through policy measures and funding initiatives – as central to the low carbon, inclusive economic transition in South Africa. Small and medium-sized eco-inclusive enterprises in the sector play a pivotal role in mitigating the impacts of climate change and tackling poverty and social inequalities. Read more
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Safi Organics, a SEED story from Kenya

Published: 11 April 2018
Safi Organics provides organic fertiliser for rural smallholder farmers that contributes to soil carbon storage. The Safi Sarvi® blend is derived from various types of local organic farm waste, and is transformed into soil conditioner through low-cost production. The enterprise has won a SAG-SEED Award in 2016. Read more
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South Africa celebrates inauguration of the first SEED office on the African continent

Published: 30 January 2018
In 2010 SEED established its first pilot country scheme in South Africa, which fell under a larger, substantially EU funded, focus of SEED on Africa. Read more
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Transform, Innovate, GoSustainable

Published: 28 November 2017Authors: Julia Rohe-Frydrych, Regina Treutwein
Coming up with new ideas is essential for the success of a business. Innovative enterprises are pro-active in solving problems, for instance, in reaching new customers or to refining their value proposition. An often unexplored opportunity for innovation is to integrate social and environmental dimensions into a company's business model.

  Read more
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The 4 types of people who can help you grow your business using the SEED Relationship Mapping tool

Published: 18 September 2017Authors: Kay Eunkyung Kang, Sonya Ong
Growing a business can be a tricky and intimidating process. Business owners are overwhelmed with different aspects to focus on. Should we invest in better customer experience, partnerships, staff wellbeing, or procuring more equipment? Read more
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A perfect match: How replication partnerships can effectively meet local challenges

Published: 25 August 2017Authors: Benita Rose, Christine Meyer
Within the last couple of months, we have facilitated over 15 Replicator Connect Workshops in Uganda, Kenya, South Africa and Ghana. Time to pause, reflect what replication can achieve and take a closer look at our matches. Read more
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