CommunicationPublished on 25 May 2025

Innovative Approaches for a Sustainable and Self-Determined Development

On 25 May, Africa Day is celebrated across the African continent and in the diaspora as a symbol of Africa's independence, self-determination and unity. The SDC is using this day to showcase four innovative projects that support sustainable and self-determined development in these countries.

A group of men and women sit at tables in a training course on installing photovoltaic systems. — The "Takween" project offers young graduates short practical training in various sectors. — © SDC Tunisia

Africa Day is celebrated on 25 May on the African continent and in the diaspora. It commemorates the founding in 1963 of the Organisation of African Unity, the predecessor of today's African Union (AU). However, Africa Day is much more than just the anniversary of this event: it is a symbol of African independence, self-determination and unity and is therefore celebrated with pride.

When Africa is mentioned in the media, it is usually in relation to its complex crises and development challenges, while its potential and diversity are rarely highlighted. Yet the continent has the world's youngest population, education levels are rising steadily and the economy is growing. The UN predicts that Africa will account for more than 25% of the world's population by 2050 and will thus play a key role in global development. This makes it all the more important to finance future-oriented, innovative projects that support the sustainable and self-determined development of the countries.

The SDC understands innovative projects not only as those that use new (digital) technologies, but also as approaches that contribute in an innovative way to achieving the four goals of the 2025–2028 International Cooperation Strategy: human development, sustainable economic development, climate and environment, as well as peace and governance. In order to achieve this, the SDC focuses on partnership-based approaches that can be flexibly adapted to local contexts and needs in order to provide added value.

On this Africa Day, we would therefore like to present four projects funded by the SDC that are innovative in their own way:

Tunisia has a large number of young, well-educated workers who are unable to find employment despite their qualifications. With the “Takween” project, the SDC is financing a project that offers young graduates short practical training in various sectors, such as the renewable energy sector. Thanks to cooperation with the private sector and public-private partnerships, this training enables young workers to enter the workforce and contributes to sustainable economic growth.
One of these is Maryam, who completed a training course on the installation of photovoltaic modules. “I trained as a photovoltaic engineer,” she explains, “but despite this theoretical knowledge, I was unable to find a job. The 10-day training course on installing photovoltaic systems gave me a better understanding of the practical and technical aspects of the profession. I was particularly impressed by the quality of the instructors and the modern equipment we used for practical training. I have already received job interviews since completing the training and am looking forward to finding a job.”
- More than 5,300 people have received training since 2021, 87% of them young people and 60% women.
- The rate of integration in the job market after completing training ranges from 65% to 85%, depending on the sector.
- There are now 28 training courses in 12 regions, involving over 50 public and private partners. More than 250 instructors and managers have been successfully strengthened in their skills.
Chad is facing various challenges, such as the consequences of climate change or the lack of economic prospects, which particularly affects the young and rural population. A project to promote the use of non-wood forest products (NWFPs), such as tamarind and honey, aims to improve food security and quality as well as the living conditions of rural populations. In addition to strengthening the technical skills of producers, the Market Systems Development approach is also pursued. This involves connecting the various actors along the value chain, which in turn promotes an efficient, more autonomous and sustainable economic environment. This enables small entrepreneurs, especially women and young people, to better market their products and thereby increase their income.
As one entrepreneur explains: “I work in the production, processing and marketing of natural and organic cosmetic products made from agricultural produce. I process néré, honey and tamarind. Thanks to the NWFP project, I've been able to improve my income. I took part in the first edition of the NWFP fair in Chad. This fair enabled me to establish contacts with NWFP producers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from other provinces that process these products and their by-products. In particular, I was able to build relationships with honey and tamarind producers. I have discovered the cosmetic properties of tamarind in combination with honey and I am determined to develop this further.”
- 2,809 stakeholders from micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) have received entrepreneurship training.
- 1,739 stakeholders from MSMEs have improved the quality of their products.
- The first national fair for non-wood forest products was organised in N'Djamena in February 2025 to promote networking between producers and key actors in the value chains.
- A network of advisors for entrepreneurship and financial education has been established.
Tanzania is the second-largest economy in East Africa and is increasingly affected by the impacts of climate change, although the country contributes only minimally to global greenhouse gas emissions. The consequences include food insecurity, water scarcity and the loss of livelihoods for the population. Nevertheless, Tanzania receives only 0.75% of the continent's total climate finance, which only covers 10.3% of its needs. To counteract this, the SDC is financing the Impact-Linked Fund for Eastern and Southern Africa (ILF ESA). The fund supports companies in Tanzania with various innovative financing mechanisms, thereby rewarding their contribution to actively mitigating climate change or adapting to its consequences. The aim is for companies to grow in an economically sustainable manner – i.e. to find investors – while increasing their positive impact on the environment.
As one entrepreneur explains, “Working with institutional investors who understand our positive impact on smallholder farmers and the climate is instrumental for us to our grow as a business. It enables us to continue paying good prices to cocoa farmers here while making a positive contribution to the environment and climate.”
Food insecurity has risen sharply in Benin in recent years, with children, young girls and being the most affected. Benin is also severely affected by climate change. Although Benin has enormous agricultural potential and a large proportion of the population works in the agricultural sector, this cannot adequately meet the country's food needs. The land is predominantly farmed by smallholder farmers, a population group that is particularly affected by poverty. The use of chemical inputs, practices such as monocultures, increasing deforestation, poor water management and climate change have a negative impact on soil fertility and further exacerbate food security. From summer 2026, the SDC will be funding a new program in northern Benin to support the transition to agroecology, which promotes the sustainable use of natural resources, restores soil fertility and strengthens rural communities. An approach that the Beninese government is pursuing with the national strategy for the development of ecological and organic agriculture and into which the SDC program fits. The ProEcoLo program combines local knowledge with findings from agricultural research and aims to improve market access for micro and small agricultural enterprises in order to contribute to climate-resilient food security and sustainable economic growth.
Stephanie Guha, Deputy Director of the Cooperation Office in Cotonou says: “ProEcoLo is a response to environmental and socio-economic challenges to restore soil fertility and increase agricultural yields in the medium and long term. The innovation consists of a holistic approach to developing agroecological market systems (supply + demand + system actors) to ensure climate-resilient food sovereignty while sustainably increasing the incomes of small producers.” The program is a contribution to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals 2, 5, 8, 12 and 13 in Benin.