The New Pioneers Case of the Month: Apopo – Making rats man’s best friend
When dealing with the societal and environmental challenges we face today, the most common approach is often the same. For example, putting our faith in some new technology that has been developed in a lab in Geneva or from a secret military base in the Nevada dessert.
However, the best way to face challenges is often to use existing resources and technologies in a new ways. An excellent example of this is the social enterprise Apopo. Back in 1995, its founder, Baart Weetjens, analysed the landmine problem in Africa, and was surprised by the complexity and high technological levels of expensive mine-clearing solutions that were largely proposed by research institutions outside the continent.
By relying on locally available resources his solution has turned out to be cheaper, quicker and more scalable, yet efficient. The solution: rats.
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Tagged | Case of the month, Social entreprenuership, social innovation, Strategic partnerships
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