REN for SEED Awards

Rural Enterprise Network (REN) was selected as a winning proposal for the 2010 SEED Awards from among 468 proposals from 60 countries, indicating recognition for Sri Lanka's commitment to the protection of the environment. The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) hosts SEED.

The awards ceremony will be held in January, said a spokesman for REN.

The SEED Awards recognises inspiring social and environmental entrepreneurs whose businesses can help meet sustainable development challenges.

By helping entrepreneurs to scale-up their activities, the SEED initiative, aims to boost local economies and tackle poverty, while promoting the sustainable use of resources and ecosystems.

This year, in addition to seeking innovative start-ups throughout the developing world, the SEED Awards had a special focus on Africa, placing particular emphasis on initiatives from South Africa, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Egypt, Ghana, Rwanda and Senegal.This focus was part of a larger project linked with UNEP's Green Economy Initiative and was funded largely by the European Union.

UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, Achim Steiner said:" The SEED Award winners exemplify the strong spirit of entrepreneurship in the developing world and its significance in creating a Green Economy. While the Awards recognize individual outstanding projects, Governments must also show leadership in supporting grass roots efforts through diverse and dynamic standards, forward-looking policies and incentives to further catalyze corporate and community-led change."

All the SEED winners will be honoured at award ceremonies in their home countries.

The prize they will receive from SEED is a package of individually tailored support for their business. This includes access to relevant expertise and technical assistance, meeting new partners and building networks, developing business plans and identifying sources of finance. SEED will contribute towards meeting each winner's most immediate needs by contributing to a jointly developed support plan.

The 2010 call for proposals saw applications from just under 60 countries, representing the collaborative efforts of non-governmental organisations, women and youth groups, labour organisations, public authorities, international agencies and academia. While most of the applications were in the agriculture and rural development sector, many entries addressed issues around climate change and energy, the conservation of biodiversity, and waste management.