LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-SEED, a regional initiative is in Malawi to build capacity of ecosystem-inclusive enterprises coupled with financial literacy and support to scale up.
The initiative is also cultivating networks of collaborators, finance and policy and providing platforms for dialogue between local and international stakeholders.
The program which is implemented in Malawi and other Southern African countries including Zambia and Zimbabwe closes the funding gaps between Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and sustainable financing.
The initiative through UMODZI Consulting on Friday, April 3, 2020 in the capital Lilongwe told the media breakfast that expects SMEs to embracing sustainable model of using clean energy amid climate changes effects.
Umodzi Consulting Director Tione Kaonga emphasized the need for entrepreneurs explore other avenues of doing business including sustainable agriculture, waste management and clean source of energy including solar.
Kaonga observed that the media is the carrier of messages to the large audience hence the engagement.
“The meeting was part of the SEED Practitioner Labs for Policy Prototyping programme which seeks to facilitate collaboration between policy-makers, financial institutions, sector experts, researchers and eco-inclusive enterprises to develop policy prototype policy instruments that promote and improve the success of eco-inclusive entrepreneurship.
“We want our local SMEs to have full knowledge of model that promote environmental management by venturing into business that environmental friendly including apiculture (bee keeping for honey), sustainable charcoal business, solar energy and among others,” says Kaonga.
He adds, “The drafting of a new and long term transformative development plan – vision 2063 presents an opportunity to look at climate-smart and inclusive economic growth targets. Malawi’s agenda 2063 can be transformative in creating a business environment that recognises small and growing community-based eco -inclusive enterprises as strategic drivers of change To ensure environmental friendly inclusive enterprises can fully contribute to the 2063 agenda, we need bottom-up, multidimensional policy support and incentives that help finance and scale such enterprises, but also finance and capacity building for actors that can support SMEs.
“SEED welcomes policy instruments that help SMEs contribute towards NDCs (i.e capacity building, PP partnerships, platform support, R&D investment, access to finance and funding of business development support initiatives).Bottom-up and collaborative design of such instruments can and should involve local stakeholders such as enterprises and communities to ensure resilience and sustainability”.
George Mwase, deputy director SMEs in Malawi’s Industry and Trade Ministry observed that there is more potential for business on eco-system, clean source of energy.
SEED has great experience with such design through its policy Labs.
Sustained long term eco inclusive investments can strengthen SMEs that are focused on marginalised groups and have them participate in national resilience building as prioritised in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy III.