Empowering Green Entrepreneurs: Biodiversity Finance Accelerator in Malawi and Zambia

With the Biodiversity Finance Accelerator (BioFA), adelphi research supports green MSMEs in Malawi and Zambia by providing training, finance, and networking opportunities. Key initiatives include grants for innovative projects, enhancing biodiversity conservation and community empowerment.

How often do you think of a great business idea that would positively impact our planet, but you lack the funds and other forms of support to see it through? The right training and investment to establish a robust business model are key to helping small and medium-sized enterprises become successful.

In the face of declining biodiversity, owners of small and medium businesses can be the changemakers we need. This applies to micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Malawi and Zambia as well, two countries with biodiversity increasingly threatened by agricultural and settlement expansion. Market-based solutions developed by green MSMEs have enormous potential to contribute to biodiversity conservation due to their high level of innovation. However, both countries currently lack bankable business models and tailor-made instruments to operationalise biodiversity finance.

Innovative Solutions from Entrepreneurs in Malawi and Zambia

These are some of the Replicator Grant winners in Malawi and Zambia:

In Malawi, Emmtech Enterprise addresses challenges faced by smallholder and medium farmers and marginalised communities by recycling plastic waste into beehives, solar irrigation pumps, bricks, and organic fertiliser. They establish a network for waste collection and collaborate with local entities to streamline the process. Utilising advanced recycling technologies, they convert plastic waste into high-quality construction materials and fertilisers, constantly innovating to enhance product quality. Emmtech also focuses on sustainable distribution, partnering with local construction firms to integrate their materials into mainstream projects. Community engagement is central, with educational programmes promoting environmental responsibility and waste management, thereby reducing plastic pollution and chemical use in farming.

The Honey Guy is a social enterprise dedicated to upscaling commercial beekeeping among forest communities in Zomba, Malawi. Zomba, known for its rich biodiversity, faces significant threats from deforestation driven by overpopulation and poverty. To combat these challenges, The Honey Guy provides households with beekeeping training and start-up kits on a loan basis, repaid with honey. This initiative generates income for local communities, aids in forest conservation, and helps meet the national honey demand, reducing reliance on imports. By promoting forest restoration, The Honey Guy enhances biodiversity and ecosystem health while economically boosting local income and employment opportunities.

In Zambia, Zamtree Agroforestry Limited addresses the country’s environmental, social, and biodiversity challenges. They implement a vertically integrated reforestation model that supplies high-quality seedlings, utilises drone technology for efficient planting, and partners with carbon finance institutions. By engaging local communities through educational programmes and fostering regulatory partnerships, Zamtree aims to combat deforestation, land degradation, and climate change vulnerability. This holistic approach enhances biodiversity, empowers communities, creates jobs, and promotes sustainable land management. Through their initiatives, Zamtree contributes to the preservation and health of Zambia's ecosystems.

The Neka Farming Initiative introduces a comprehensive solution to urban gardening challenges through the Sustainable Urban Gardening Platform, known as the Neka Gardening Application. This initiative aims to empower urban residents with the resources, knowledge, and tools needed to cultivate sustainable gardens in limited spaces. Through digital technology, Neka Gardening provides a user-friendly hub for sharing gardening insights, accessing local resources, and fostering community engagement. By promoting self-sufficiency in fresh produce, environmental consciousness, and community bonds, the Neka Farming Initiative seeks to revolutionise urban gardening practices.

Improved entrepreneurial capacities increase the performance potential of biodiversity MSMEs in both countries and create models that can be replicated in other regions. In this way, they actively contribute to species conservation, and not only have an impact on biodiversity, but they also contribute to empowering their local communities.