“The support of the Government of Flanders has enabled SEED to pilot a six-month Go Sustainable! programme with a select number of entrepreneurs whose eco-inclusive innovations represent a real opportunity to tackle poverty, marginalisation and social exclusion, from the ground up,” said Rest Kanju, progamme manager for SEED SA.
“The local South African market is viewed quite extensively as a key market for green economy development, not only due to its renewable energy commitment but also due to the impacts of climate change which are being experienced in the country.”
While the coping and adaptation strategies of farmers vary from agro-ecological zone to zone, and some of the poorer and marginalised communities have been stretched beyond their capacity to respond, the Go Sustainable! programme has assisted local green enterprises to develop tailor-made action plans for their operations, and to optimise their business models by implementing tried and tested systems and models from similar markets.
What started out as a hobby for one entrepreneur, Peter Mabela, has been transformed into a thriving bee farming enterprise called Limpopo Valley Honey Farms.
“The SEED programme has enabled me to diversify my business offering, from general to expert services to both private and public organisations, including the South African Police Services, local municipalities and even includes parastatals such as Telkom and Eskom in the Limpopo and North West Provinces,” said Mabela. Today, Limpopo Valley Honey Farms offers both bee removal and bee pollination services to its local and neigbouring communities.
While it is one of South Africa’s largest harbours, Richards Bay, like many coastal towns, is familiar with the challenge of unemployment, which has lent itself to the need for innovation, entrepreneurship and job creation. One of the selected enterprises, from a diverse group of SMEs is Ngwanezwide, which focuses on building small and startup brands in a bid to increase visibility of local products and services.
“Ours is small vibrant business community, so access to markets, maintaining top-of-mind awareness and connecting the dots between business needs and services, as well as products, is a critical non-negotiable. Since I started on SEED’s pilot programme, I have been able to implement social media marketing campaigns more effectively and contribute towards the sustainable growth of other small businesses,” said Ngwanezwide owner and founder Langelihle Nxumalo.
In addition, Ngwanezwide has partnered with the Quality Waste Management Co-Operative which enhances waste management efforts, particularly in the rural areas in the uMkhanyahkude and King Cetshwayo Districts.
“Our team of dedicated consultants and trainers have worked very closely with the entrepreneurs over the past few months, and at this showcase, it really is an occasion to celebrate their short-term successes, and review their progress,” emphasised Kanju.
“In Africa, we believe that it takes a village to raise a child – likewise, it will require the participation of an entire business community to grow the local entrepreneurship, and indeed, the green economy.”
