ANEF ORGANIZES THE GREEN START-UP COMPETITION TO SUPPORT YOUNG LEADERS OF GREEN AND INNOVATIVE PROJECTS

Mohammed Drihem
The National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) and its partners are launching the second edition of the Green Start-up Competition in support of young leaders of innovative green projects. A joint initiative with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) as part of the Green Jobs II project financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Crédit Agricole Group of Morocco, and Green Energy Park of Mohammed VI Polytechnic University.
Very innovative and in line with the objectives of the Moroccan Forests strategy 2020-2030; This competition aims to promote green entrepreneurship through support for green initiatives and innovations carried out by young Moroccans who reconcile economic development and the preservation of natural resources, particularly forestry.
Applications are open until May 17, 2024, to young leaders of innovative projects in the field of conservation and development of forest resources which must demonstrate a significant impact on the environmental, economic and social levels, particularly at the level of rural and mountain environments and with young rural people.
The five selected winners will receive motivational prizes to support the development and implementation of their projects. Detailed information on the competition as well as the procedures for submitting applications are described on the website dedicated to the competition at the following address: www.greenstartup2.ma.
The competition is part of the project “Promotion of youth employment through sustainable value chains in Morocco” (Green Jobs II), undertaken by the National Agency for Water and Forests (ANEF) in partnership with the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), which supports the implementation of the National Forestry Development Strategy “Forests of Morocco 2020-2030”, which aims to develop a forest heritage for all generations, according to a model of sustainable, inclusive and wealth-creating management.
According to these initiators; The objectives of this project rhyme perfectly with the forestry development strategy in terms of, in particular, job creation and the development of forest resources through support for initiatives creating green jobs carried out by young people for the benefit of the population. forest user.
To achieve its objectives, the project adopted an approach based around the technical and entrepreneurial qualification of young rural people. Particular attention is paid to the promotion of female entrepreneurship.
According to the same source of information, this innovative project aims to support the forestry development strategy “Forests of Morocco 2020-2030”, promote green entrepreneurship among young people in rural and mountainous areas; promote value chains of forest products and ecosystem services among young green entrepreneurs, stimulate green innovation designed for the valorization and sustainable development of forest value chains and protection of the forest environment, contribute to the sustainable development of rural areas bordering forests through the support of green projects that create wealth and jobs, supporting young green project leaders in the realization of their project ideas/or projects, by combining access to suitable financing and capacity building within incubators and finally, create a collaboration network within the framework of green entrepreneurship of young people in rural and mountain areas.