Ashanti Region: SMEs showcase eco-friendly products at SNV Trade Show

Hundreds of patrons on Friday (14 July) flocked to the Kejetia Market Complex where the 2023 edition of the Green Employment and Enterprise (GrEEn) Regional Trade Show is taking place.

The three-day regional show forms part of the GrEEn project being implemented by the SNV Ghana and United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), with funding from the European Union (EU), and the Embassy of Netherlands in Ghana. It will see small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) showcasing their products, services, and inventions of green businesses in the Ashanti Region.

The 58 participating SMEs have either enrolled or graduated from SNV’s six-month GrEEn Incubation and GrEEn Acceleration programmes that provide business advisory support to green and eco-inclusive businesses and entrepreneurs. The event which is expected to end on Sunday (16 July) intends to stimulate sharing and exchanges within the circular economy. It also aims at showcasing and promoting green products and services to boost the growth of the local economy and support sustainable start-ups and SMEs in the green sector to increase job creation.

Speaking at the launch, the project manager of the SNV GrEEn Project, Laouali Sadda, highlighted some of the successes chalked under the initiative aimed at addressing the root causes of irregular migration by supporting sustainable and climate-resilient local economies, and green jobs amongst others.

“Aside from the trade shows and the matching grants provided to some of these SMEs, under the GrEEn Project and we provide business-to-business visits, market linkages, and coaching through our partner hubs to green businesses… We have awarded over 3 million cedis to sustainable local businesses and recently joined six (6) green entrepreneurs to commission their factories across the Ashanti Region with plans to launch additional ones before the GrEEn Project ends,” Sadda said.

Support for local businesses

Ashanti Regional Director at the Ministry of Trades and Industry Mamuda Osman reiterated the government’s commitment to supporting local businesses and tackling the unemployment rate in the country, through its industrialization agenda. He stressed the need for the patronage of made-in-Ghana products and urged SMEs to take advantage of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area aimed at giving Ghanaian businesses access to foreign markets.

“Trade shows were important programs in the development of businesses across the globe as it helps citizens to develop a taste for local products. It builds networks for businesses to link up with their potential buyers”, he said.

On exhibition were products and services that were made using methods that would not harm the environment, and the use of waste materials. Others were into the processing of tomato paste, fascinators, mushroom drinks, and millet powder, among others.

Meera Asante of Hakama Company Limited, producers of natural products like Hausa Koko powder, and palm nut soup base told Asaase News that their products were environmentally friendly and how SNV has been supportive.

“We are an agro-processing company and we are into the production of tomato sauce and other natural products. There are no preservatives in them because, through the support of SNV, we got a solar plant to keep our products safe.

Another exhibitor, winner of the GrEEn innovation challenge, and also founder of the Kozibiz biogas technology Amadu Sulemana, stated that his company is into the treatment of waste systems. He was full of praise to SNV Ghana for resourcing him financially to set up his business.

Mariam of the Aco Mcdonalds Ventures, into African prints accessories and handmade accessories like fascinators, beads, and bouquets for weddings also shed light on how SNV had rendered immense support to her business by taking her through a series of training and providing sewing machine for her work.

Reporting by Lordina Agyemang Duah in Ashanti Region

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