Resilient entrepreneurship in the Hindu Kush Himalaya: The larger impacts of locally led adaptation

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Context

Small and medium enterprises are a lifeline for the millions of small farmers, artisans, and others who are directly dependent on the natural resources of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH). These enterprises, which make up around 95% of the private sector in the HKH, are extremely vulnerable to climate change and other shocks (such as the recent global pandemic) that severely impact the life and livelihoods of mountain people. There is an urgent need to build the resilience of mountain enterprises so that they can absorb, adapt, and/or transform in the face of these shocks and continue to contribute to social and economic empowerment of mountain communities and climate adaptation actions on the ground.

The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) strives to develop a resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem for sustainable and equitable livelihoods in collaboration with its eight member countries and diverse partners. It has made significant progress in co-creating and co-developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem, promoting products and services of small-scale enterprises, greening value chains, developing inclusive and women-focused entrepreneurship, and building entrepreneurs’ capacity, contributing to locally led adaptation and resilience.

Objective

The aim of this session is to share evidence on the status of resilient entrepreneurship in the HKH and showcase emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities, which can help us build a resilient entrepreneurial ecosystem. The findings and evidence generated during this session will be linked to regional and global platforms such as the UNFCCC COP26 through ICIMOD’s strategic engagement approach (follow #HKH2Glasgow on social media).

Agenda

22 January 2021 | 06:00–8:00 UTC (11:45–13:45 Nepal Standard Time)