Business models of SMEs as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies: The case of Punjab, India

Many Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) technologies fail to achieve their full potential impact due to low levels of adoption by smallholder farmers and difficulties in scaling CSA. This paper presents how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can act as change agents for the uptake of CSA techno...

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Main Authors: Groot, AE, Bolt, JS, Jat, Hanuman Sahay, Jat, Mangi Lal, Kumar, M., Agarwal, T, Blok, V.
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Elsevier 2019
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/100278
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author Groot, AE
Bolt, JS
Jat, Hanuman Sahay
Jat, Mangi Lal
Kumar, M.
Agarwal, T
Blok, V.
author_browse Agarwal, T
Blok, V.
Bolt, JS
Groot, AE
Jat, Hanuman Sahay
Jat, Mangi Lal
Kumar, M.
author_facet Groot, AE
Bolt, JS
Jat, Hanuman Sahay
Jat, Mangi Lal
Kumar, M.
Agarwal, T
Blok, V.
author_sort Groot, AE
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Many Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) technologies fail to achieve their full potential impact due to low levels of adoption by smallholder farmers and difficulties in scaling CSA. This paper presents how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can act as change agents for the uptake of CSA technologies where their business models may be seen as adoption and scaling mechanisms. Drawing upon our fieldwork in Punjab (India) during which over 100 respondents have been interviewed, critical issues and enabling factors for the business model of two types of SMEs, i.e. farmer cooperatives and individual service providers of climate smart technologies have been identified. Enabling factors supporting adoption are driven by scientific and practical evidence of CSA technologies, good partnership between SMEs and research institutes, good customer relationships and effective channels through farmers' field trials. Critical issues consist of distortive government subsidies on energy and the lack of market intelligence affecting the profitability of the business model. Scaling is enhanced through market intelligence and a favouring regulatory landscape. However, difficult socio-economic circumstances and distortive government subsidies limit the role of SMEs business model as mechanism for scaling.
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spelling CGSpace1002782025-02-19T14:22:23Z Business models of SMEs as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies: The case of Punjab, India Groot, AE Bolt, JS Jat, Hanuman Sahay Jat, Mangi Lal Kumar, M. Agarwal, T Blok, V. food security agriculture climate change Many Climate Smart Agricultural (CSA) technologies fail to achieve their full potential impact due to low levels of adoption by smallholder farmers and difficulties in scaling CSA. This paper presents how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can act as change agents for the uptake of CSA technologies where their business models may be seen as adoption and scaling mechanisms. Drawing upon our fieldwork in Punjab (India) during which over 100 respondents have been interviewed, critical issues and enabling factors for the business model of two types of SMEs, i.e. farmer cooperatives and individual service providers of climate smart technologies have been identified. Enabling factors supporting adoption are driven by scientific and practical evidence of CSA technologies, good partnership between SMEs and research institutes, good customer relationships and effective channels through farmers' field trials. Critical issues consist of distortive government subsidies on energy and the lack of market intelligence affecting the profitability of the business model. Scaling is enhanced through market intelligence and a favouring regulatory landscape. However, difficult socio-economic circumstances and distortive government subsidies limit the role of SMEs business model as mechanism for scaling. 2019-02 2019-03-13T16:15:42Z 2019-03-13T16:15:42Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/100278 en Open Access Elsevier Groot AE, Bolt JS, Jat HS, Jat ML, Kumar M, Agarwal T, Blok V. 2019. Business models of SMEs as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies: The case of Punjab, India. Journal of Cleaner Production 210:1109-1119.
spellingShingle food security
agriculture
climate change
Groot, AE
Bolt, JS
Jat, Hanuman Sahay
Jat, Mangi Lal
Kumar, M.
Agarwal, T
Blok, V.
Business models of SMEs as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies: The case of Punjab, India
title Business models of SMEs as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies: The case of Punjab, India
title_full Business models of SMEs as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies: The case of Punjab, India
title_fullStr Business models of SMEs as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies: The case of Punjab, India
title_full_unstemmed Business models of SMEs as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies: The case of Punjab, India
title_short Business models of SMEs as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies: The case of Punjab, India
title_sort business models of smes as a mechanism for scaling climate smart technologies the case of punjab india
topic food security
agriculture
climate change
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/100278
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