Sustainable technologies and local entrepreneurship drive climate resilience in African country, with focus on agriculture, energy and water

Sierra Leone, one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change, has launched the CATBIE (Promotion of Climate Adaptation Technology and Business Model Innovations and Entrepreneurship) project, an ambitious initiative that aims to strengthen climate resilience through innovation and entrepreneurship in the water, agriculture and energy sectors.

Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the project aims to mobilize the private sector to develop innovative technological solutions and business models that help communities in the African country cope with the impacts of global warming.

“Sierra Leone is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Through this project, our organization will help farmers and businesses across the country access innovative climate adaptation technologies and solutions,”

said Gerd Müller, Director General of UNIDO.

Sustainable technologies at the service of climate resilience of communities

The CATBIE project involves the introduction of technologies such as cold storage facilities for agricultural markets, solar freezers and solar water pumps, as well as the provision of automated climate information to help farmers in planning and adaptation. These solutions aim to reduce community vulnerability and promote sustainable economic development.

“We have dedicated ourselves to developing an inter-ministerial coordination mechanism to promote the integration of adaptation and resilience, actively involving SMEs in the key sectors of water, energy and agriculture,”

said David Moinina Sengeh, Chief Minister and Chief Innovation Officer of Sierra Leone.

The potential of SMEs to drive innovation in climate adaptation

A key element of the project is the involvement of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the development and implementation of innovative solutions for climate adaptation. The project aims to create innovative financial instruments to facilitate SMEs' access to technological solutions and to develop policies and regulations that stimulate innovation.

“This new project is crucial to help our businesses. We will support the initiative by building strong partnerships and mobilizing resources so that more small businesses can access climate adaptation technologies and business model innovations,”

said Kandeh Yumkella, Chair of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security.

Ambitious goals to promote social inclusion and equitable growth

The CATBIE project aims to raise $25 million in co-financing, create 200 new jobs and help 250.000 vulnerable people, of whom at least 40 percent are women and 20 percent are young people. It also includes the creation of a national platform for innovation in adaptation, support to around 50 SMEs and training of over 6.200 individuals.

“There are important links between rural poverty, climate vulnerability and COVID-19 in the least developed countries where the LDCF provides targeted support,”

said Chizuru Aoki, GEF Chief Environmental Specialist.

“In Sierra Leone, we are working to address all three crises simultaneously and to incubate solutions that can also help other climate-vulnerable countries.”

Strategic collaborations to build a more sustainable future today

The CATBIE project will be implemented by the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency (SMEDA) and will collaborate with several initiatives, including the GEF Sustainable Cities Impact Programme, to promote investments in nature-based infrastructure solutions for flood management and water conservation in major cities in Sierra Leone.

“Local small and medium-sized enterprises in Sierra Leone have enormous potential to support more climate-resilient water, energy and agriculture sectors,”

said Tareq Emtairah, Director of the UNIDO Energy Department.

“This project was designed to unleash this ingenuity and creativity, fostering a new climate adaptation ecosystem where policymakers, investors and small businesses work together to support systemic innovation.”

A concrete example of climate innovation for the entire continent

The CATBIE project represents a significant step for Sierra Leone in the fight against the effects of climate change, combining technological innovation, entrepreneurship and social inclusion.

Through the active involvement of SMEs and the promotion of sustainable solutions, the West African country, located between the Atlantic Ocean coast, Guinea and Liberia, is setting an example of climate resilience and adaptation for other vulnerable nations.

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