Innovations in the News and Around the World |
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Meet the new WE4F Innovators
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SokoFresh and Zonful Energy: Shortlisted for International Ashden Awards
A new wave of innovation shows how clean energy can power up entrepreneurship and inclusive development across low-income nations, creating opportunities even in the most marginalised communities.
Exciting initiatives range from solar-powered hubs where refugees can launch businesses, to pay-per-use cold storage for smallholder farmers, to training programmes helping women launch clean energy companies and careers. These solutions feature in the shortlists for the three 2022 international Ashden Awards.
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Biofuels, a Pathway to a Greener and More Sustainable Future
We live in a world where the global market for biofuels and renewable energy sources continues to grow because they mitigate greenhouse gasses, provide energy independence, and offer new employment possibilities. Mr. Akash Agarwal, Chief Executive Officer at New Leaf Dynamic Technologies, shared his vision to provide access to affordable refrigeration facilities across India without depending on unreliable grid power or diesel-dependent sets. He gave us an expansive view of GreenCHILL™, the challenges faced, and the future of technology.
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Organizing a Raising Capital Event in Lebanon: Two Innovators’ Perspectives
Being an innovator in Lebanon is challenging. The country is firmly in the grip of its worst economic, financial, and political crisis in more than a decade. The agricultural sector has also been affected, as the exchange rate of the dollar against the Lebanese lira continues to rise. The challenges, however, do contain opportunities. Looking at it through a positive lens, WE4F innovators like Compost Baladi and Biomass continue to work and innovate against all odds. The two companies are in the midst of pursuing investment opportunities to sustain their operations through this challenging time.
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Zonful Energy, a Zim solar start-up, gets African recognition
A Zimbabwean company promoting low-cost solar energy in off-grid rural communities, Zonful Vitality, was among eight African firms honoured during the Sustainable Energy for All Forum held in Kigali, Rwanda.
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Hydroponics Africa - Growing More Food with Less Water
Water shortages are a serious problem for the world's smallholder farmers. In Africa eight out of ten farmers grow crops on less than two hectares of land and have problems irrigating them - especially in scarce regions. However, hydroponics offers farmers and households a good solution for this challenge.
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Cost-effectiveness Is Most Critical Aspect In Agriculture Sector: Dr Shital Somani Kasat
While agriculture provides livelihood to more than half of India’s population the farmers in India have grave challenges to face. Their problems do not end with a good harvest only, proper storage post-harvesting period is a massive challenge in the country. A lot of crops aren’t sold and eventually deteriorate because of a lack of facilities. Now, a lot of start-ups have taken a step in this direction and what is worth celebrating is many such initiatives are being driven by women.
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The Middle East has a food security problem. Can agritech solve it?
Meeting future demand for food through local production is why agritech is booming in the region.
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Rice remains the main foodstuff in Senegal and in the West African sub-region. However, its production and processing require costs that are difficult to bear by producers and processors.
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Revolutionizing Crop Treatment Technology for Climate Resilience
Nature-based solutions offer the best way to tackle pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss. The agricultural sector has been slow in combining technology and nature, as well as making it widely accessible.
One innovative nature-based solution is Adaptive Symbiotic Technologies’ (AST) BioEnsure® which helps plants adapt to water-related stress and crops grow in suboptimal conditions using 50% less water. This technology is key for developing innovative energy and climate solutions.
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Read the English translation of the interview with Ma’an Youth Society for Environmental Conservation here.
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On the Edge of Mighty Rivers: Pumpkin Plus on Restoring Bangladesh’s Ecosystems for Biodiversity
Every year on May 22nd, the International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated, bringing awareness to the importance of Earth’s biodiversity and how it can mitigate climate change. However, rising populations and various human activities are driving biodiversity loss at an unprecedented rate. Additionally, climate change is already impacting water supplies and may seriously impact our ability to grow enough food to meet increasing demands. Thanks to agricultural innovations like Pumpkin Plus, many aspects of land management for food production have changed.
In this interview with Pumpkin Plus, Yogeeta Sharma and Nazmul Islam Chowdhury sat down to discuss Pumpkin Plus’s innovation and how it contributes to building a shared future for all.
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Odisha-based start-up FreshR comes up with India’s first app in fishery sector for bulk purchases
Fish and meat distribution start-up FreshR, which has come up with India’s first app in the fishery sector for bulk purchases and doorstep delivery, aims to become the “Walmart of meat” industry.
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Call for Expression of Interest (EOI) – The WE4F South/Southeast Asia Regional Innovation Hub is looking for Service Providers
The WE4F S/SEA RIH is looking for service providers working in the water-energy-food nexus to provide sector-specific, affordable, and accessible consultancy/advisory services to help WE4F S/SEA innovators reach their full potential and scale their solutions. The variety of services required by our innovators includes legal, business development, communications, marketing, organizational capacity development and more.
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WE4F Launches Southern and Central Africa Call for Expression of Interest from Service Providers!
The WE4F Southern and Central Africa Regional Innovation Hub invites eligible service providers to respond to the Call for Expressions of Interest (EOI). The call applications will close on September 19th, 2022 at 4:00 PM CAT. Applicants who qualify for this call will become part of a pre-vetted pool of service providers that deliver a diverse range of services to the hub’s innovators across the region.
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WE4F and E4I: Improving Rice Production and Processing in Benin
Since November 2020, WE4F/PEEPA, and partner Energy For Impact (E4I), have been working on a project to improve rice production and processing in Benin through energy efficiency measures and renewable energy. One year later, in November 2021, the West Africa RIH Technical Advisor Michel Digbeu, had the chance to meet with the rice producers during a site visit to Benin. He was able to see not only the first successes, but also the challenges and needs within the joint project implemented by E4I. Together with E4I, trips were planned to all project areas: Banikoara, Gogounou, Ouakéand Tanguiéta in the North, and Ouinhi, Adjohoun, Dangbo and Adja Ouèrrè in the South.
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Call for applications! USAID wants to partner with youth-led or youth-serving organizations to advance climate action in the Middle East and North Africa!
Through the USAID-funded Governance Integration for Stabilization and Resilience in the Middle East and North Africa (GISR MENA) Task Order, USAID is seeking climate change and environmental solutions from youth-led or youth-serving organizations across the MENA region. For the purposes of this competition, youth are defined as those between the ages of 10-35 years of age. Organizations are invited to submit applications for a regional grant competition where up to eight organizations will be selected and receive up to $62,000 to implement their proposed climate initiatives. Selected grantees will also receive guidance and mentorship from climate experts throughout implementation, as well as organizational and advocacy capacity strengthening support. Apply by August 19th.
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Accelerator Mentorship Programme for Women-led SMEs in Africa
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Agri-Food Network (IAFN)are launching a pilot Accelerator Mentorship Programme to support women entrepreneurs in addressing key challenges and constraints they face in their businesses.
The objective of the jointly-led Accelerator Mentorship Programme is to foster a selected number of women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa with one-to-one mentorship with a panel of experts who are leading women entrepreneurs from around the globe, using a structure through which participants can interact and learn from the expert panel, as well as to provide them with access to knowledge and tools necessary to grow their enterprises and adapt to an ever-changing marketplace. Apply by August 30th.
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Join the FoodBytes! Community
FoodBytes! is Rabobank’s discovery platform that helps startups validate and grow their businesses – and their impact – through global industry exposure, tailored mentorship, pitch refinement, and strategic connections with corporate & investors. In 2022, FoodBytes! has moved beyond the pitch competition through continuous scouting and quarterly programs focused on three industry-validated themes: Meeting New Consumer Demand, New Modes of Production, and New Ways of Working.
Q3 THEME: New Ways of Working. We’re reimagining the role of the worker and conditions of the workplace by introducing new technologies that create more from less, including: Robotics & Manufacturing Automation; New Food Distribution; Novel Food Processing; and Upcycling. Apply by September 6th.
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Apply today for the 2022 AgSharks® Competition
Calling all entrepreneurs and startups who are developing innovative solutions in food, agtech and agriculture! Apply today for the 2022 AgSharks® Competition, a challenge where startup companies compete for the chance to win a minimum of $250,000 in investment capital and potential access to farm acreage to support the development and growth of their businesses. Apply by September 12th.
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