Eco-innovation is a new business approach which promotes sustainability throughout the entire life cycle of a product, while also boosting a company’s performance and competitiveness.

It can help small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) access new and expanding markets, increase productivity, attract new investment into the business, increase profitability across the value chain, and help SMEs stay ahead of regulations and standards – notably those related to the environment.

UCPC has piloted Eco-Innovation programme in the Agri-food processing sector in Uganda.

Improved food safety with introduction of mobile laboratories to monitor levels of aflatoxin in raw materials which resulted into reduction in rejects from 60% (over 10.5tons) to Zero at one of the factories. At the same time, the company contracted at-least 56 field extension services providers .

Improved product’s Shelf life from 90 days to 180 days under room temperature storage (without refrigeration). This was achieved by one of the dairy industries that participated in the project

One of the factories also started earning additional revenue of up to USD 23,209 /= from plastic waste that they began crushing for recycling. This  has saved at least  96 tones of plastics from joining the environment.

 In general, new business models were implemented which resulted in; creation of 10 new jobs, direct annual savings of over USD 130,157.3 were achieved, an additional revenue stream of over USD 25,780 was obtained, there was a reduction of greenhouse gas emission equivalent to 1,300 tons CO₂ (carbon dioxide) and improved quality of products and reduced overall production costs and improved profitability.