Ugandan firms recognised for eco-inclusivity

PIC: A man from ICOSEED Enterprises, a switch Africa Green SEED winner displays banana fibre. (Courtesy photo)

BUSINESS & SMES

Three Ugandan firms are among 15 winners of the prestigious European Union-funded SWITCH Africa Green (SAG) -SEED Awards.

The firms will be honoured at the SEED East Africa Symposium in Kampala on September 5, 2017.

According to a statement from the symposium organisers, the event will bring together around 70 enterprises, policy makers, business development service providers, and government leaders from Uganda and Kenya to discuss initiatives aimed at bolstering the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector.

On the list of winners are Brent Technologies, Gorilla Conservation Coffee and Masupa Enterprises from Uganda, and Horizon Business Ventures Limited, ICOSEED Enterprises, and Kencoco Limited from Kenya.

A statement from SEED, organisers of the symposium, points out that these enterprises have provided more than 1,000 individuals with training, employment opportunities and new income streams for farmers, youth and women on top of the environmental benefits such as mass reduction in consumer waste, and reduction of illegal logging and charcoal burning by 40%.

"These innovative enterprises provide approaches to clean energy and efficient use, climate and environmentally-smart agriculture, waste management and recycling challenges," read the statement.

"Eco-inclusive enterprises are vivid examples of how the private sector plays a significant role in implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda in East African communities," it added.

The EU-funded SWITCH Africa Green programme started in 2014.

It has the objective of supporting the transformation towards an inclusive green economy which generates growth, creates jobs, and reduces poverty, according to the program's website.