Chapter 2: Vulnerability of MSMEs to Climate Change
Lalima stepped out of the house. The day was partly cloudy, but the blue sky was welcoming.
Yurgen, her father, called behind her.
“Enjoy! I hope your friends and Tashi will have a fruitful discussion.”
“See you, Dad!
Lalima shouted as she headed out to the park where her friends and Tashi agreed to meet.
She entered the park in about 15 minutes.
“Hey guys!”
Tashi was rummaging in his backpack and looked up.
“Oh, hey Lalima. Sit down. The weather is great, so I invited you guys to the park. We’ll all discuss it under this lovely weather.”
“So…now we’re just waiting for Aabroo. She should be here in a bit.”
Aabroo arrived in a couple of minutes, and they all settled under the shade of a tree in the park.
Tashi started the conversation.
"So, I hear from Lalima that Kishor, Aabroo, and Baisali; you all are either planning to start your own business or planning to support your family business, correct?”
One by one, Kishor, Aabroo, and Baisali begin introducing themselves.
Aabroo, who sat closest to Tashi opened her mouth, but quickly retracted – she was the shyest of the four.
“Yes, Aabroo, you can go first.”
Aabroo’s cheeks became red, but she mustered up her courage.
“Ummm, so, my mother runs a construction business. Her company works on contracts for the design and construction of residential buildings, commercial buildings, and public infrastructure like pedestrian paths, drainages, and so on. She was also recently awarded for her company’s engineering and construction excellence under her leadership – that too as one of the few female CEOs in the construction sector. I am inspired by her and want to help her grow. When Lalima called me yesterday, she briefly talked about aspects that we would have to consider while thinking further about our business – especially the linkage with climate change – which frankly, I’ve never thought of. So, I want to learn from you and our discussion here today.”
Aabroo tilted back and sighed in relief, clearly relieved to have ended her introduction.
"That’s great Aabroo. What about you Kishor?"
Kishor plucked on the grass as he spoke.
“I studied Agribusiness Management in my undergraduate studies. For the last six months, I have been working on an agrovet business plan. I think there is great potential for it since agriculture linked with food supply will always be a priority to the national economy. If I can crack into this, especially across South Asia, it would be a dream and when Lalima called me, I immediately thought that getting to know you would be of great benefit. Climate and agriculture are linked and where farmers come in, agrovets* become relevant. So, I am excited to be here today.”
*Agrovet is an end-to-end supply store for farmers, dealing in seeds, fertilizer, animal feed, veterinary supplies, etc.
“Good to hear that, Kishor.”
Tashi now turned to Baisali. Without Tashi even taking her name, Baisali perked up in confidence.
“Lalalistan, being an island, has a lot of potential in fisheries.”
Her voice indicated a personality of an organized nature.
“Seafood is a significant part of our diet. That’s where I see opportunity. However, I want to go beyond Lalalistan. South Asia is a big market that I want to tap into. I know about climate change and its adverse effects, and aquatic life is one of them. This can affect my business model which is why I’m here.”
Baisali cuts short and relaxes – she seemed to be the most confident among the four.
Tashi nodded and looked at all of them.
“Hmmm, quite a diverse group here in terms of aspirations. This will make our discussion more colorful.”
