Green Economy and social and environmental entrepreneurship development in Africa

In the framework of adelphi hosting SEED, adelphi implemented a project financed by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Commission. Between 2013 and 2014, the project aimed at selecting 50 outstanding start-up social and environmental enterprises from Ethiopia, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda as winner of the SEED Award for sustainable entrepreneurship.

The winners of the SEED Award received tailored consulting support towards scaling up their business models. Part of this support was the participation in the SEED Symposiums in Kenya in 2013 and 2014, organised and implemented by adelphi. Having signed a partnership agreement with UNEP, Hisense, a Chinese electronic manufacturer sponsored the SEED Award. The project activities also comprised an assessment of the winners' progress and impact over time to be summarised in a study report. Case studies on selected past and current SEED Award winners were developed und published.

SEED is a global partnership for action on sustainable development and the green economy. Founded by UNEP, UNDP and IUCN at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, it works in close partnership with UNEP's Green Economy Initiative.