PRESS RELEASE

June 06, 2007

Sapa Medicinal Plant Project Wins 2007 Global SEED Award

Sa Pa Essentials, a Vietnamese partnership, has been awarded one of five 2007 Supporting Entrepreneurs for Environment and Development (SEED) Awards.  This year’s winners of this prestigious global award were announced in New York City on May 30.  The United States Deputy Chief of Mission Jonathan Aloisi recognized the Vietnamese winners at a World Environment Day reception in Hanoi on June 4.

Sa Pa Essentials’ winning project uses sustainable cultivation of traditional medicinal plants to develop high value-added products for export, the manufacturing and proceeds of which improve the livelihoods of ethnic minority communities. 

SEED Awards recognize, support and encourage local, enterprises whose activities help the environment.  SEED is a partnership comprised of the Governments of the United States, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and South Africa as well as the IUCN-The World Conservation Union, Swiss RE, UNDP, and UNEP with support from the Global Compact.  The U.S. Government currently serves as the chair to the SEED initiative’s Board of Directors. 

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