Green Business Development Activity
SWITCH Africa Green grant awards ceremony in Mauritius
12 November 2015
Mauritius
- Overview
SWITCH Africa grants were officially awarded to the successful applicants from Mauritius in an exceptional ceremony held on 12 November 2015 in the boardroom of the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and Disaster and Beach Management. The grants were awarded by Mr. Eric Vanhalewyn, First Secretary and Head of Section for the Delegation of the European Union to Mauritius, and Mr. Raj Dayal, Minister for Environment, Sustainable Development and Disaster and Beach Management.
The SWITCH Africa Green grant recipients will foster green business development through sustainable local agriculture (green retail and green hospitality), sustainable consumption and production and eco-entrepreneurship among vulnerable members of communities, including young people, and by promoting sustainable livelihoods in the fisher folk community, building capacity in green business, greening the tourism industry and promoting sustainable energy.
The Minister thanked the European Union and the United Nations Environment Programme for the timely programme and said that, as a small island developing State, Mauritius was aware that resource efficiency and sustainability are key to mitigating the negative impacts of environmental issues and enhancing the resilience of the people of Mauritius. He emphasized that the entire population, including the business community, needed to adopt an eco-responsible attitude that went beyond the upkeep of neighbourhoods through the adoption of green technologies and practices.
Mr. Simon Springett, United Nations Resident Coordinator and Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme, was also present at the award ceremony. He said that SWITCH Africa Green provided a platform for South-South cooperation, and that he was pleased to see three projects from Rodrigues, which would support the realization of the Rodrigues Regional Assembly’s vision of Rodrigues as an ecological island.
The event received coverage in the newspapers and on television. Watch the award ceremony on ION News.
SWITCH Africa Green grants awarded in Mauritius
|
Grantee |
Project title |
Grant award |
|
University of Mauritius |
Promoting sustainable local agriculture through green retail and green hospitality |
$249 655 |
|
Joint Economic Council |
Program National d’Efficacite Energetique - PNEE |
$250 000 |
|
Centre de Formation Agricole Frere Remi |
A model for sustainable production and consumption practices and Eco-entrepreneurship development |
$250 000 |
|
Commission of Fisheries |
Increase capacity-building of fisher’s community of Rodrigues through training for the bio-cultivation of Gombava lime plants and the production of chili paste |
$230 500 |
|
Association des Hotels de Charme |
Greening the Mauritian Tourism Industry |
$250 000 |
|
Commission of Environment |
Developing capacity amongst Rodriguan to adopt green businesses through training to key stakeholders and the development of a green business guidebook |
$250 000 |
|
EMPRETEC Mauritius (multi-country) |
Empowering business development agencies and NSAs to advocate sustainable consumption and production practices and support eco-entrepreneurs in their development and transition towards green inclusive businesses |
$1 500 000 |
SWITCH-Africa Green Programme is implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme with the financial support of the European Union. The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the project partners and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union.