Alex Rose-Innes
Apart from showcasing the Trillion Trees Challenge for the Sahel and the Great Green Wall Project in Africa, 12 African innovators from the continent will be part of an initiative to introduce their concepts to experts and potential funders.
Two global organisations driving eco change, 1t.org and Uplink had established a platform for entrepreneurs and young innovators to join a trusted community of leading organisations, experts, investors and change-makers.
1t.org is part of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) efforts to accelerate nature-based solutions to support the United Nation’s (UN) Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030. Uplink is an open digital platform enabling participation to accelerate progress of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). Both work toward mobilising the private sector, and facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships in key regions, while supporting innovation and eco-preneurship on the ground.
While the African Union (AU) embarked on a bold venture to re-green 8 000 km from Senekal to Djibouti, restoring and growing Africa’s next natural wonder, various other innovative projects would see sustained livelihoods, ensure food security and combat desertification.
Amman Immam’s Landscape Restoration for Ecosystem Recovery initiative is dedicated to the sustainable management and rehabilitation of wetlands, pasturelands and agroforestry in the Niger area and aims to empower and support Africa’s most vulnerable indigenous peoples.
Forested Foods in Ethiopia is an agroforestry business proving that bio diverse forests are more lucrative conserved than destroyed. Working across the supply chain, from cultivation and aggregation to processing, packaging and marketing, Forest Foods is partnering with farmers living in forests to sustainably grow portfolios of forest-based products.
GasLowCost (http://www.initiativesclimat.org) is preventing further ecosystem degradation by enabling urban populations to substitute their energy generated through charcoal with biogas produced from slaughterhouse and household waste and compost.
Sahara Sahel Foods (https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-contribution/a012o00001pTNbqAAG/sahara-sahel-foods-using-forgotten-native-dryland-trees-as-food-sources) processes and markets foods from pristine, indigenous wild perennial crops beneficial to the environment, creating markets for rural small-holder farmers.
SoilWatch (https://accelerator.copernicus.eu/portfolio/soilwatch/)applies remote sensing technology and machine learning to provide up-to-date, reliable, and low-cost soil carbon measurements and to develop verified carbon offset projects for Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration, regenerative agricultural and pastoralism projects.
Tele Bere’s Green AgroFarms promotes community-managed agroforestry and agro-ecology initiatives in Northern Ghana serving as a catalyst for landscape restoration, income generation and food security for rural women and youth.
