How entrepreneurs can help developing countries hard hit by climate change
By Georgina Campbell Flatter
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The three founders of ClimaCell -- Shimon Elkabetz, Itai Zlotnik and Rei Goffer -- learned the critical limitations of traditional forecasting while serving in the Israeli military. Afterward, they explored ways to extract data from untapped sources. According to Goffer, “We developed a technology that could ‘see’ all sorts of weather phenomena by analyzing subtle changes in cellular and satellite signals.” They found they could significantly improve forecasting capabilities by integrating traditional radar and satellite data with their own, but also surmised their tech would make the greatest impact in developing countries, where weather infrastructure was minimal but wireless networks were widespread. Supported by Legatum Center fellowships, both Goffer and Zlotnik attended MIT Sloan School of Management to explore emerging market applications.
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Aukrit Unahalekhaka, another Legatum Center Fellow and MIT Sloan alum, grew up in an agricultural family in Thailand and knew the challenges smallholders faced. Unahalekhaka co-founded Ricult, a mobile-based platform that empowers smallholders with access to affordable capital, market alerts, direct access to produce buyers and cutting-edge farming techniques -- a service suite that has boosted farmers’ profits by 30-40 percent. Ricult currently works with 10,000 smallholders in both Thailand and Pakistan and aims to reach 100,000 by year’s end.
More recently, Ricult added hyperlocal weather forecasts to their platform, leading to a significant increase in productivity. “Our pilot results have made us eager to partner with a weather specialist,” Unahalekhaka said. For instance, when ClimaCell’s reach expands to Thailand in the coming months, integration of their data could greatly enhance forecasts for Ricult’s farmers, particularly those who remain largely out of radar’s reach, and help them make critical decisions about the optimal times to sow, fertilize and harvest. Ricult can also use the weather data to more accurately predict yields, information they can share with banks to help farmers secure better loans.
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A comprehensive response to climate change demands bold entrepreneurial solutions, particularly in areas with limited infrastructure. We need innovative startups that not only mitigate climate change but also help to build climate resilience. We also need to foster emerging market ecosystems that cultivate such ventures. Finally, we need all stakeholders, from governments and NGOs to nonprofits, corporates and universities to play a bigger role in supporting those ecosystems. We can see those supports beginning to take shape. In 2012, for instance, the World Bank Group funded a Climate Innovation Center (CIC) in Kenya to support innovative businesses addressing climate challenges. Kenya CIC companies have since generated more than 2,400 jobs and $15 million in revenue, paving the way for CICs in seven other developing countries.
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