Purple Economy
© Askala George
What is Purple Economy?
Purple Economy encompasses economic activities that have their origin in individual creativity, skill, and talent which have a potential for job and wealth creation through the generation and exploitation of intellectual property.
High Level Goal
A thriving, authentic, and sustainable purple economy provides adequate livelihood opportunities for cultural entrepreneurs and supports the integrity of North-east Tobago’s cultural and natural heritage.
Current Situation
The purple economy is unorganised and mainly driven by individual actors. The North-east Tobago Man and the Biosphere Reserve is blessed with highly creative, passionate, and talented artists. Almost all are unable to solely depend on their purple economic activities to provide an adequate standard of living and have to rely on other means of income. Most established are economic activities related to festivals, events, culinary arts, and music.
Priority Needs
-
Data regarding the purple economy in the Biosphere Reserve are analysed, publicly available, and used for decision-making regarding the development of the sector;
-
increased appreciation of local cultural expressions and their value;
-
an enabling environment for the development of a striving purple economy and green, clean and low-carbon entrepreneurs; and
-
cultural authenticity is maintained and regenerated.
Strategies
-
Establish a purple economy research and monitoring programme;
-
include green, clean, and low carbon sustainable entrepreneurship in education, local outreach activities, and governmental development projects;
-
based on a needs and SWAT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) assessment remove hindrances and create opportunities (especially regarding networking); and
-
encourage the promotion, marketing, and sale of authentic purple economic products where possible.
Further Information: