Tanzania Go Green
On 27 June each year, the world celebrates small businesses. To mark this occasion, Trade Forum talked with the two Small Business Champion winners of 2022 to find out more about their innovative winning projects related to climate change, while supporting small businesses.
Here, Anna Malaba of the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture, explains how their winning project Tanzania Go Green intends to promote sustainable practices to reduce the environmental impact of small businesses in the country.
The Tanzania Go Green project is an initiative that promotes sustainable practices to mitigate the environmental impact of businesses in Tanzania. We encourage small businesses to adopt green technologies, reduce carbon emissions, and implement sustainable production processes.
The idea for the Tanzania Go Green project emerged from the urgent need to address the environmental challenges and consequences of climate change in our country.
For instance, Tanzania has seen significant deforestation, primarily caused through illegal logging, charcoal production, and agriculture. According to the World Bank, Tanzania's annual deforestation rate is estimated at 403,000 hectares, which has severe consequences for biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and ecosystem services.
In addition, Tanzania's industrial and energy sectors increasingly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from fossil fuel combustion, and to water pollution.
The Tanzania Go Green project aims to tackle these issues by encouraging businesses to adopt environmentally friendly practices, reduce their carbon footprint, and implement sustainable production processes. By doing so, we can protect natural resources, improve livelihoods, and create a more sustainable and resilient future for Tanzania.
Currently, the project is still in its planning phase and awaits the necessary funding for implementation.
Addressing the consequences of climate change in Tanzania requires a multi-faceted approach.
To support small businesses, we plan to give them access to resources, including training, technical assistance, and funding opportunities. Only then will they be able to adopt eco-friendly practices and technologies.
Best practices for small businesses to decarbonize their production include energy efficiency improvements, waste management strategies, adopting renewable energy sources, and sustainable supply chain management.
International trade plays a crucial role. For instance, by engaging in international trade, businesses can access global markets for environmentally friendly products and services. It also enables the exchange of knowledge, technologies, and best practices, fostering innovation and collaboration among countries to address climate challenges collectively.
More specifically, by exporting green products, such as renewable energy technologies, sustainable agriculture produce, or eco-friendly goods, Tanzanian businesses can tap into the growing demand for sustainable solutions worldwide.
Also, Tanzanian businesses can learn from global leaders and adopt innovative techniques, for example efficient production methods, sustainable supply chain management, waste reduction strategies, and more.
In the context of the Go Green project, international trade can drive the development of new green technologies and solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of international markets. This encourages local businesses to innovate, adapt their production processes, and create sustainable products that align with global standards and preferences.
As part of our plans, we are actively seeking funding partnerships and are engaging stakeholders for the Green Production Summit to shape the project.
The summit will serve as a platform to gather input, establish partnerships, and develop a comprehensive roadmap for the implementation of sustainable practices across various sectors.
We hope to raise awareness on adopting better policies and regulations on green employment strategies and programmes and to reduce the costs for small businesses that would result from climate change policies and regulations.
While the implementation of the Tanzania Go Green project has been delayed, we remain determined to bring it to fruition.
The Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture was one of the two winners of the 2022 Small Business Champion competition.
The competition focused on the transition of small businesses to a sustainable economy. The innovative projects brought forth by the winners do not only raise awareness of the difficulties small businesses are facing when trading in the context of climate change but also promote best practices in transitioning to sustainable and green trade.
The competition is a joint annual event led by the World Trade Organization’s Informal Working Group on Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs), the International Trade Centre (ITC) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
