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Free course

Climate-Smart Business Planning for ADBL Loan Applicants

A free, self-paced online course that helps farmers and small business owners build a climate-resilient business plan using the nine-block Climate Canvas. In about 90 minutes across four short modules, you'll learn to spot the climate risks facing your business, plan adaptation and mitigation measures that protect your income and cut costs, and prepare a stronger loan application. No prior experience needed — works on any smartphone.

Lesson 1

Know your climate risks

Climate Canvas Training - Module 1 - Climate Risks
ADBL Climate Canvas Training · जलवायु क्यानभास तालिम

Lesson 1 of 4 · about 15 minutes

Know your climate risks · आफ्नो जलवायु जोखिम चिन्नुहोस्

Namaste! नमस्ते! When you apply for a loan at Agricultural Development Bank Ltd. (ADBL), the system creates a business plan from a few simple questions. This lesson adds one more skill: planning for climate risks — floods, drought, heat, and storms — so your business and your loan stay safe.

What this course covers
  • Lesson 1 (now) — Which climate risks matter for your district and business
  • Lesson 2 — The Climate Canvas: nine simple blocks on one page
  • Lesson 3 — A worked example: Sita's poultry farm in Chitwan
  • Lesson 4 — Draft your own Climate Canvas and take a short quiz

Common hazards in Nepal

Climate change is not only a world problem — it arrives on your own field, pond, shed, and road. Step one is naming the hazards that can reach your business.

🌊Floods & landslidesDamage sheds, ponds, stored grain; cut roads to market
☀️Drought & erratic monsoonFailed or late crops; dry irrigation; costly water
🌡️Heat wavesStress on livestock and poultry; lower milk and egg yield
🌨️Hail & stormsDestroyed vegetables, fruit, and plastic tunnels
🐛New pests & diseaseWarmer weather brings new outbreaks for crops and animals
🛣️Supply disruptionFeed, seed, and fertilizer arrive late or cost more after disasters

Two ways to respond: adapt and mitigate

Adaptation · अनुकूलन

Protecting your business from climate impacts. Examples: raising a poultry shed floor above flood level, drip irrigation for dry months, crop insurance, keeping feed stock for road closures.

Mitigation · न्यूनीकरण

Reducing the emissions your business creates — which usually saves money. Examples: a solar water pump instead of diesel, biogas from animal waste, efficient machines, less fertilizer waste.

Remember: a good climate plan uses both. Adaptation protects your income. Mitigation lowers your costs. Together they make your loan safer to repay.
Lesson 2

The Climate Canvas: Nine Blocks, One Page

Climate Canvas Training - Module 2 - The Nine Blocks
ADBL Climate Canvas Training · जलवायु क्यानभास तालिम

Lesson 2 of 4 · about 25 minutes

The Climate Canvas: nine blocks, one page

The Climate Canvas is a one-page planning tool with nine building blocks, inspired by the famous Business Model Canvas. You already answered 6–7 questions for your ADBL business plan — the Canvas adds the climate view. Tap each block below to open its guiding question and examples.

1Climate ThreatsWhat weather can hurt me?
Guiding question: which climate hazards occur in my district, and how often?Examples: monsoon floods, drought, heat waves, hailstorms, landslides, new pests and animal diseases. Tip: ask your ward office or agro-vet which hazards have hit your area in the last 10 years.
2Supply Chain & Market RisksInputs in, produce out
Guiding question: in a bad season, can my inputs still arrive and my produce still reach buyers?Examples: feed or fertilizer trucks delayed by flooded roads; milk spoiling when collection stops; prices collapsing when everyone sells at once after a disaster.
3Operational RisksWhat breaks on site?
Guiding question: what on my own site could fail or be damaged?Examples: flooded sheds and ponds, failed irrigation in drought, power cuts stopping fans or cold storage, wet grain storage, heat stress on animals and workers.
4GHG CommitmentsWhat will I reduce?
Guiding question: which emissions will I commit to reduce, by how much, by when?Examples: cut diesel use 40% in two years; stop burning crop residue; compost animal waste. Small, honest targets are better than big vague ones.
5Adaptation MeasuresProtect the business
Guiding question: what will I do to protect the business from the threats in blocks 1-3?Examples: raised floors and drainage, drip irrigation, water storage, resistant seed varieties, feed stockpiles, crop and livestock insurance, shade trees.
6Mitigation MeasuresCut emissions & costs
Guiding question: how will I cut emissions - and my bills at the same time?Examples: solar pumps and lighting, biogas from manure, efficient machinery, better insulation, precise fertilizer use. Most of these reduce monthly costs.
7Key MetricsHow I track progress
Guiding question: which numbers will show me whether the plan is working?Examples: yield per kattha or ropani, fuel litres per month, animal mortality in hot months, losses per season, days of input stock held.
8Financial OutlaysWhat it costs
Guiding question: what will my measures cost, and is that cost inside my loan request?Examples: drip system NPR 80,000; solar pump NPR 1.2 lakh; insurance premium NPR 15,000 per year. Put these in your loan amount - they protect the whole investment.
9Financial BenefitsWhat it earns & saves
Guiding question: what will the measures earn or save?Examples: fuel savings, avoided flood losses, higher yield in dry years, compost sales, premium prices from buyers who want climate-smart suppliers.

Open each of the nine blocks to read its guiding question and examples before moving on.

Lesson 3

A Worked Example: Sita's Poultry Farm

Climate Canvas Training - Module 3 - Worked Example
ADBL Climate Canvas Training · जलवायु क्यानभास तालिम

Lesson 3 of 4 · about 20 minutes

Worked example: Sita's poultry farm, Chitwan

Sita runs a 2,000-bird poultry farm near Bharatpur and is applying for a Saral Krishi Karja loan of NPR 15 lakh to expand to 5,000 birds. ADBL's system generated her business plan from her answers. Here is the Climate Canvas she completed alongside it.

1 · Climate threats
  • Monsoon floods (Narayani river plain)
  • Heat waves April–June
  • New poultry disease outbreaks
2 · Supply & market risks
  • Feed trucks delayed when highway floods
  • Egg prices drop if market access is cut
3 · Operational risks
  • Shed floor floods in heavy rain
  • Power cuts stop fans → heat deaths
4 · GHG commitments
  • Replace diesel generator hours with solar backup
  • Compost litter instead of open dumping
  • Target: cut fuel use 40% in 2 years
5 · Adaptation measures
  • Raise new shed floor 0.6 m, improve drainage
  • Keep 2 weeks of feed stock before monsoon
  • Livestock insurance on the new flock
6 · Mitigation measures
  • Solar panels + battery for fans and lighting
  • Better insulation → less cooling need
  • Sell composted litter to vegetable farmers
7 · Key metrics
  • Bird mortality in hot months
  • Diesel litres per month
  • Days of feed stock held
8 · Financial outlays
  • Raised shed + drainage: NPR 2.5 lakh
  • Solar system: NPR 3 lakh
  • Insurance premium: NPR 40k per year
9 · Financial benefits
  • Diesel saving about NPR 8k per month
  • Fewer heat deaths about NPR 1.5 lakh per season
  • Compost sales about NPR 5k per month
What the loan officer sees: Sita's NPR 15 lakh request now includes NPR 5.5 lakh of climate measures that protect the other NPR 9.5 lakh — and generate savings that improve her repayment capacity. That is a stronger application.

Figures are illustrative for training purposes.

Lesson 4

Draft Your Own Climate Canvas

Climate Canvas Training - Module 4 - Your Canvas
ADBL Climate Canvas Training · जलवायु क्यानभास तालिम

Lesson 4 of 4 · about 30 minutes

Draft your own Climate Canvas

Now write a first draft for your business. Short phrases are fine — this is a working page, not an essay. When you finish, use your browser's Print → Save as PDF to keep your completed canvas, and bring it to your ADBL branch with your loan application.

Quick knowledge check

Select an answer to see if it is correct. There is no time limit — try again until you get it right.

1. What is the difference between adaptation and mitigation?

2. Sita included a raised shed floor and drainage in her plan. Which Canvas block is that?

3. Why should climate measures appear in your loan request amount?

4. A solar water pump replacing a diesel pump is an example of...

Your application checklist

  • Answer ADBL's business-plan questions as usual (6–7 questions)
  • Complete your Climate Canvas draft above and save it as a PDF
  • Include the cost of adaptation and mitigation measures in your loan amount
  • Bring the Canvas to your branch and discuss it with your loan officer
  • After approval, track your key metrics each month (block 7)
Need help? Visit your nearest ADBL branch or adbl.gov.np. For the Climate Canvas guide and web app, see climatecanvas.org.