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: January 2012::
SaafConsult, in cooperation with its partners hydrophil iC from Austria and NSCE from Egypt, won the project, "Integrated water resources management:
how relevant is it to water operations of the African Development Bank? IWRM quality at entry review and CSP review". A selection of 10 countries from the Bank's portfolio has been made for this assignment, to be finalised by May 2012.
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Environmental degradation and unsustainable use of natural resources has led to severe constraints on development. While in economic terms the impact of a degrading environment on economic growth has not been fully integrated into planning and modelling of national or regional authorities, the brunt of it tends to be felt most acutely at grassroots level. Therefore, most major international financing institutions (IFIs), development organisations and corporate entities are starting to seriously account for the cost of environmental degradation in their policies. Even in countries where overall development and poverty alleviation are the overarching priorities, the importance of inclusion of environmental parameters in dealing with these priorities is becoming self-evident. |
Regrettably, in many cases, investments in projects and ventures that contribute meaningfully to the sustainable use of natural resources are impeded by access to financial instruments and support. Treatment of water, renewable energy, tradable resource rights, organic agriculture and environmental services are often not seen as commercially reliable areas for investments. To address the three parameters of sustainable development—economic, social and environmental security—the RENEW® Fund aims to provide the impetus needed to promote and sustain investments in the environmental sector at a modest scale. |
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What is the RENEW Fund?
In accordance with the mission statement of the company, the RENEW® Fund is a small equity fund within Saafconsult BV that invests in projects, companies, other funds or ventures that contribute to the responsible sustainable use of natural resources. In principle the Fund invests in:
- Renewable energy (wind power, solar power, biogas, biomass, hydropower, tidal power, etc.);
- Negotiable/tradable rights (water rights, carbon credits, emission rights, etc.);
- Environmental infrastructure (water/wastewater treatment, energy efficiency, water conveyance, etc.);
- Management contracts (water supply, sanitation, irrigation, solid waste management);
- Managed Aquifer Recharge Storage and Treatment (MARS-T or Aquifer Storage and Recovery ASR) projects;
- Organic agriculture;
- Any other related activity within the overall objectives of the fund.
The fund is oriented towards the Middle-East/South Asia region. It is in this region that a vast potential for these investments exists, and where serious investments in environment and (re-)use of natural resources, such as water, are vital.
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Latest Investment
Through its equity fund called the RENEW Fund, Saafconsult is working with partners in Jordan to develop a fish farm project in the Jordan Valley. Farah Fish Farm will produce 200 tons of fish per year for the Jordanian market. The fish to be raised is Tilapia, a tropical fish well suited for the climate in the Jordan Valley. Waste water from the fish ponds will be treated and used for agriculture. SaafConsult is also helping with leveraging funds from other international parties who see both the environmental benefits and the commercial viability of this project.
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