ETP3701
ASSIGNMENT 4
DUE: 22 MAY 2025
SEMESTER 1 2025
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,ETP3701 ASS 4
QUESTION 1
CASE STUDY
Agripreneur: Ngwamba turns agricultural trash into burning treasure
With a passion for sustainability and innovation, Given Ngwamba transformed
adversity into opportunity, creating Nzilo Charcoal and paving the way for eco-
friendly grilling solutions. Years ago,
Given Ngwamba’s garage in Ka-maqhekeza, Mpumalanga was transformed into
an impromptu innovation hub, filled with homemade machines that would
ultimately bring his ground-breaking idea to fruition. He wanted to create coal
using agricultural waste such as groundnuts, sugarcane, macadamia shells,
coconut, and waste from mango leaves and banana trees. The idea came after
Ngwamba found himself at a crossroads in 2019 after a failed business venture
left him seeking a new beginning. “We built our own machines and
experimented with different materials. It wasn’t easy, but we were driven by the
potential impact. “We’ve gone from a handful of friends tinkering in a garage to a
growing team; employment opportunities in our community are incredibly
rewarding,” he says.
Turning waste into wealth
The name of Ngwamba’s business is Nzilo Charcoal, which means “hope” in the
local dialect. He sells his environmentally-friendly briquettes to local retailers like
Vleis Paleis Nelspruit and Naas SuperSpar for R37 per bag who add their
markup. Those who buy directly from Ngwamba pay R50 per bag. At the core of
Nzilo Charcoal lies the principle of agricultural sustainability by repurposing
waste into valuable resources for producing cleaner-burning charcoal. In a
meticulous process, Nzilo Charcoal begins by gathering agricultural waste such
as sugarcane husks, corn stalks, and woodchips from nearby farms. “This waste
becomes the fuel for our eco-friendly briquettes,” Ngwamba explains.
Essay Question 1: Entrepreneurship & Sustainability
Critically analyse how Given Ngwamba's Nzilo Charcoal exemplifies both
entrepreneurial innovation and its potential contribution to a sustainable future in
South Africa. Consider the types oF innovation involved and how Nzilo Charcoal
addresses environmental concerns.
Explain how Nzilo Charcoal represents innovation
The innovation behind Nzilo Charcoal lies in its transformation of agricultural
waste into high-quality charcoal briquettes, marking a departure from
conventional charcoal production methods. This endeavor revolutionizes the
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, energy sector by offering a sustainable solution to the issues of waste disposal
and deforestation. The process entails gathering agricultural residues, drying
Types of Innovation
Radical Innovation
Radical innovation heralds a profound shift, fundamentally altering a product,
process, or market. While Nzilo Charcoal's approach may appear revolutionary,
it draws upon established principles of charcoal production, thus not fully
aligning with this classification.
Incremental Innovation
Incremental innovation refers to small, iterative improvements to existing
processes or products. Nzilo Charcoal features aspects of incremental
innovation through its step-by-step enhancements in making charcoal more
eco-friendly and efficient.
Modular Innovation
Modular innovation involves changes in components or parts of a product or
service without altering the overall configuration. Nzilo Charcoal's method of
producing briquettes can be seen as a modular innovation since it introduces
new, sustainable materials into the traditional charcoal manufacturing process.
Architectural Innovation
Architectural innovation reconfigures known components into a new
architecture. Nzilo Charcoal embodies this type of innovation by transforming
the way agricultural waste is processed into charcoal, changing the structure of
its production but not the fundamental process of charcoal making.
Downloaded by: Wellfocus | Want to earn $1.236
Distribution of this document is illegal extra per year?
ASSIGNMENT 4
DUE: 22 MAY 2025
SEMESTER 1 2025
Downloaded by: Wellfocus | Want to earn $1.236
Distribution of this document is illegal extra per year?
,ETP3701 ASS 4
QUESTION 1
CASE STUDY
Agripreneur: Ngwamba turns agricultural trash into burning treasure
With a passion for sustainability and innovation, Given Ngwamba transformed
adversity into opportunity, creating Nzilo Charcoal and paving the way for eco-
friendly grilling solutions. Years ago,
Given Ngwamba’s garage in Ka-maqhekeza, Mpumalanga was transformed into
an impromptu innovation hub, filled with homemade machines that would
ultimately bring his ground-breaking idea to fruition. He wanted to create coal
using agricultural waste such as groundnuts, sugarcane, macadamia shells,
coconut, and waste from mango leaves and banana trees. The idea came after
Ngwamba found himself at a crossroads in 2019 after a failed business venture
left him seeking a new beginning. “We built our own machines and
experimented with different materials. It wasn’t easy, but we were driven by the
potential impact. “We’ve gone from a handful of friends tinkering in a garage to a
growing team; employment opportunities in our community are incredibly
rewarding,” he says.
Turning waste into wealth
The name of Ngwamba’s business is Nzilo Charcoal, which means “hope” in the
local dialect. He sells his environmentally-friendly briquettes to local retailers like
Vleis Paleis Nelspruit and Naas SuperSpar for R37 per bag who add their
markup. Those who buy directly from Ngwamba pay R50 per bag. At the core of
Nzilo Charcoal lies the principle of agricultural sustainability by repurposing
waste into valuable resources for producing cleaner-burning charcoal. In a
meticulous process, Nzilo Charcoal begins by gathering agricultural waste such
as sugarcane husks, corn stalks, and woodchips from nearby farms. “This waste
becomes the fuel for our eco-friendly briquettes,” Ngwamba explains.
Essay Question 1: Entrepreneurship & Sustainability
Critically analyse how Given Ngwamba's Nzilo Charcoal exemplifies both
entrepreneurial innovation and its potential contribution to a sustainable future in
South Africa. Consider the types oF innovation involved and how Nzilo Charcoal
addresses environmental concerns.
Explain how Nzilo Charcoal represents innovation
The innovation behind Nzilo Charcoal lies in its transformation of agricultural
waste into high-quality charcoal briquettes, marking a departure from
conventional charcoal production methods. This endeavor revolutionizes the
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Distribution of this document is illegal extra per year?
, energy sector by offering a sustainable solution to the issues of waste disposal
and deforestation. The process entails gathering agricultural residues, drying
Types of Innovation
Radical Innovation
Radical innovation heralds a profound shift, fundamentally altering a product,
process, or market. While Nzilo Charcoal's approach may appear revolutionary,
it draws upon established principles of charcoal production, thus not fully
aligning with this classification.
Incremental Innovation
Incremental innovation refers to small, iterative improvements to existing
processes or products. Nzilo Charcoal features aspects of incremental
innovation through its step-by-step enhancements in making charcoal more
eco-friendly and efficient.
Modular Innovation
Modular innovation involves changes in components or parts of a product or
service without altering the overall configuration. Nzilo Charcoal's method of
producing briquettes can be seen as a modular innovation since it introduces
new, sustainable materials into the traditional charcoal manufacturing process.
Architectural Innovation
Architectural innovation reconfigures known components into a new
architecture. Nzilo Charcoal embodies this type of innovation by transforming
the way agricultural waste is processed into charcoal, changing the structure of
its production but not the fundamental process of charcoal making.
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