Nairobi,
10 November 2009 - Outstanding social and
environmental projects from Zimbabwe, Bangladesh,
Colombia, Southern Africa, India and Niger
are the winners of the 2009 SEED Gold Awards,
the SEED Initiative announced today.
The prize recognizes
promising, locally driven start-up enterprises
that work in developing countries to improve
livelihoods, tackle poverty and manage natural
resources sustainably.
The five 2009 Gold Winners,
selected by an international jury among
this year's twenty SEED Award winners, are:
An association of small-scale women farmers
in Zimbabwe who are striving to reverse
severe land degradation through organic
farming;
A Bangladeshi NGO that
has developed a low-cost solar lantern made
from recycled parts of the kerosene lantern;
An association in Colombia
that has set environmental standards for
local miners;
Civil society organizations
in Southern Africa and India that are developing
bio-cultural protocols;
And institutions in
Niger that have developed sustainable solid
waste management systems to keep cities
clean.
Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General
and UNEP Executive Director, said: "The
SEED Gold Winners show us that a low carbon,
resource efficient Green Economy is as much
a developing country and rural community
issue as it is a developed country one.
These genuinely inspiring initiatives are
generating multiple economic, social and
environmental benefits and being achieved
often against enormous odds. The challenge
now is to scale them up."
All the SEED Gold Winners
will be given their award at in-country
award ceremonies. Rather than the traditional
monetary prize, they will receive individually-tailored
business and partnership support services,
worth US$ 35,000, for up to one year to
help them become established and increase
their impact. This includes access to relevant
expertise and technical assistance, meeting
new partners and building networks, developing
business plans and identifying sources of
finance.
The specific nature
of the support is decided by each winner,
hence tuning it to local needs - SEED helps
locate and provide the services required,
drawing mainly on local know-how and expertise
and well as national and international networks.
Kofi Nketsia-Tabiri, Regional Manager of
E + Co Africa and a member of the Seed Award
selection jury, said: "These initiatives
are truly innovative, driven and hosted
by the local community with a strong potential
for success and scale up. They represent
inspiring examples of how sustainable entrepreneurship
can bring change to the developing world.
It is for these reasons they deserve the
status of Gold winner."
Notes to Editors:
About the 2009 SEED
Gold Awards
The winners of the SEED
Gold Awards for Entrepreneurship in Sustainable
Development were chosen by an international
jury made up of experts from the environment,
social and business fields.
The 2009 SEED Gold Award
winners are:
Biocultural Protocols:
Community Approaches to Access and Benefit
Sharing (ABS) - Southern Africa and India
Civil society organizations
have mobilized efforts to develop bio-cultural
protocols with different local indigenous
communities. This will help to provide a
model whereby local communities can share
the benefits if local resources and expertise
are developed for market purposes.
Who:
The ABS Capacity Building
Initiative for Africa supports the partnership
financially and facilitates political space
in Africa and internationally through workshops
for African government officials and other
focal points.
The K2C Biosphere Reserve
committee provides mandates and implementing
support for Natural Justice to facilitate
the development of bio-cultural community
protocols
UNEP has provided funding
for the development of two bio-cultural
community protocols in India and for co-publishing
a book on bio-cultural community protocols
Zimbabwe's bridge to
the world: organic essential oils - Zimbabwe
A small business, a
research institution and an association
of small-scale women farmers together are
facing the challenge of improving rural
livelihoods and reversing severe land degradation
through innovative organic farming and the
production of essential oils, made from
the indigenous Tarchonanthus camphoratus
bush.
Who:
Fambizanai trains KAITE
partner farmers and is in charge of the
research in organic farming
Kufunda and Silveira House secures training
centres for KAITE partner farmers
Phytotrade Africa advises on standards and
regulations as well as product development
Trust Organic Small Farmers strengthens
international marketing linkages
ZOPPA manages the national and international
networking
A national NGO and local
community associations are engaged in an
initiative to reverse environmental degradation
and social exclusion resulting from illegal
and uncontrolled mechanized mining. A mining
certification process and capacity building
program have been created. More than 1000
artisan mines are now following social and
environmental criteria.
Who:
AMICHOCÓ strengthens
and formalises the producer groups; develops
new markets; and connects the local miners
with national and international partners.
The Community Councils
of Tadó, ASOCASAN, represent the
local mining communities; supervise, guide
and coordinate ground activities; participate
in decision making processes; and co-own
the Oro Verde® Brand.
The Community Councils
of Condoto, COCOMACOIRO represent the local
mining communities; supervise, guide and
coordinate ground activities; participate
in decision making processes; and co-own
the Oro Verde® Brand.
Solar conversion to
traditional kerosene hurricane for electrification
- Bangladesh
A national NGO in partnership
with a local NGO and a cooperative have
developed an innovative device called "SuryaHurricane",
a low-cost solar lantern made from recycled
parts of the conventional and much used
kerosene lantern.
Who:
Shidhulai Swanirvar
Sangstha generated the concept and helped
to develop the technology, which it is now
implementing
Daridra Bimochon Sanstha
(DBS), specialised in environmental education,
conservation and micro-enterprise development,
conducts surveys on the acceptability level
of the SuryaHurricane in the community
Panchshisha Bahumukhi
Somobay Somity (PBSS) informs people about
the hurricane lamp conversion and the benefits
to households, communities and the environment
through street drama and traditional songs
Social Development Research
Programme (SDRP) will monitor and evaluate
the growth of SuryaShroy in the communities
and offers financial and accounting training
Rupkatha promotes SuryaHurricanes
through print and electronic media; develops
promotional materials, and arranges public
events
ALMODO - Niger
A partnership between
a small business and a research institution
is developing a sustainable self-financing
solid waste management system that contributes
to improving living conditions of the poorest
population, in collaboration with a women's
group that collects solid waste in the poor
urban areas of Niger's three biggest cities.
Who:
Gestion et Valorisation
des Déchets s.a. (GVDsa) implements
the project, coordinates the partners and
reinforces their capacities
PRESSES and BETO are
responsible for waste collection, recycling
and commercialisation
CNES and Toulaye work
on the continuous development of easy-handling
equipment with free emission
The city council of
Niamey is responsible for infrastructure
and regulation
About the SEED Initiative
The SEED Initiative
is a global network founded in 2002 by UNEP,
UNDP and IUCN to contribute towards the
Millennium Development Goals and the commitments
made at the Johannesburg World Summit on
Sustainable Development. SEED works through
a global network of Partners, Supporters
and Associates.
SEED identifies, profiles
and supports promising, locally-driven,
start-up enterprises working in partnership
in developing countries to improve livelihoods,
tackle poverty and marginalisation, and
manage natural resources sustainably. The
Initiative also develops learning resources
for the broad community of social and environmental
entrepreneurs, informs policy- and decision-makers,
and aims to inspire innovative, entrepreneurial
approaches to sustainable development.
For more information please visit www.seedinit.org
