A new climate initiative will help more than fifty small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya and Tanzania to adopt environmentally sound technologies.
The initiative, which aims to help industrial SMEs deal and adopt with Climate related challenges amid the Covid-19 pandemic, was launched by the UN Climate Technology Centre Network (CTCN).
“The programme seeks to identify and support mechanisms that will enable industrial SMEs to adopt environmentally sound technologies,” CTCN’s Director, Dr. Rose Mwebeza said in a statement.
“Working across numerous adaptation and mitigation sectors, the CTCN provides technical assistance, knowledge sharing, capacity building and networking,” she added.
In both countries, the programme is being implemented in partnership with the Kenya Climate Innovation Centre which offers incubation, capacity building and financing options to SMEs.
Jointly, KCIC and CTCN have successfully completed an online Boot camp and matchmaking event that explored ways of joining synergies and exploring available opportunities in the green space.
The main objective of the event was to promote the adoption of environmentally sound technologies for industrial SMEs in both countries.
The event involved interactive sessions between industrial SMEs, Environmentally Sound Technology solution providers and financiers on the available sustainable technologies and ways of improving their business efficiencies.
Over 50 Industrial SMEs attended the online event and had the opportunity to:
- Enhance their awareness on the available climate smart solutions for their businesses
- Create links with financiers and EST solution providers who are able to support them in adopting these efficient climate smart technologies; and
- Network with fellow SMEs to determine potential linkages (if any) that would catalyze the establishment of a sustainable circular economy
The event expects matches to be made between Industrial SMEs in the two countries. It also offers green technology providers and green technology financiers a platform for uptake of shared climate smart technologies.
In Kenya, almost ten SMEs have been linked to their preferred climate sound technology solution providers and financial partners.
The same is planned to happen for SMEs in Tanzania in the coming week.
The programme identifies SMEs as a vital link towards enhancing access to specific climate smart technologies that will serve to promote productivity, competitiveness and sustainability.
CTCN’s Director, Dr. Rose Mwebeza said that the programme will be replicated in other regions including Asia later this year.
Read also: Thirteen African Companies Named Finalists for The 2020 Transformational Business Award
