BIG A

Who did we interview?

We interviewed a local businessman from the Urabá region, his name is Mario and he is 59
years old. He is dedicated to the production, purchase and sale of bananas in that area.

How did you become a entrepreneur?

As a child he grew up with his grandfather and learned about agriculture and the banana
planting process. When his grandfather died, he inherited some properties and eventually
was able to expand the business on a large scale, creating a company that produces, buys
and sells bananas in the country and also exports to the European Union in partnership with
other companies.

how did you do during the pandemic?

During the pandemic the business decreased its purchases and sales and at some point the
company suspended many labor contracts due to the quarantine. Also the agronomic
products were out of stock in the market and this damaged the banana crop but later the
company was able to overcome this situation step by step.

What adaptations have you made to your business before and after the pandemic?

Previously, the company had all its employees working in the offices, but now it has flexible
working hours and many employees can work from home and now has a solid risk strategy
for any crisis that may occur later on to take better care of employees and their
stakeholders.

Brainstormed effects on the local economy:

● Pandemic-related disruptions to supply chains, markets, and labor force.

● Changes in regulations and policies affecting agriculture and small businesses.
● Advances in technology, such as precision agriculture and e-commerce, changing
the way products are grown, marketed, and sold.

Supply chain disruptions: The pandemic has caused significant disruptions in global supply
chains, making it difficult for farmers to transport their products to markets. This may have
led to a decrease in demand and prices for plantains, resulting in reduced revenue for the
farmer.

Changes in consumer behavior: With lockdowns and social distancing measures in place,
many consumers have shifted their purchasing habits towards online channels. This may
have made it more difficult for the farmer to reach customers and sell their products,
especially if they do not have an online presence.

New regulations: The pandemic has led to the introduction of new regulations aimed at
controlling the spread of the virus. These may have included restrictions on the movement
of people and goods, as well as new health and safety requirements for businesses.
Compliance with these regulations may have added additional costs and complexity to the
farmer's operations.

Technological shifts: With the pandemic forcing many businesses to adopt new technologies
and ways of working, the farmer may have faced new challenges in terms of adapting to
these changes. For example, they may have needed to invest in new equipment or software
to enable remote work or online sales.

How the local economy What interviewers said Predictions (Uncertain

has been affected (reporting conclusions) situations)

We believe that this The ongoing pandemic and

pandemic caused related disruptions will
During the pandemic the companies to reorganize continue to affect local
economy was affected their businesses and find growers, particularly those
because the purchase and different ways to be who rely on exports or face
sale of bananas decreased productive in their labor shortages.
in the country and also their production processes. Most
exportation and this meant companies created flexible Changes in regulations and
that there were no schedules and new ways of policies, such as trade
monetary transactions and teamwork through different agreements or
many workers and their technological tools and it environmental regulations,
families did not have has been very could significantly impact
enough money to survive revolutionary. the competitiveness and
and enough food during the profitability of local
quarantine. Mario said that To adapt, the grower growers.
many workers lost their focused on improving the
jobs and few companies quality of his product, Advances in technology
were able to withstand reducing costs, and may present both
these monetary losses. exploring new markets. opportunities and
challenges for local
The grower expects that the growers, particularly in
near future will be uncertain terms of market access and
due to ongoing pandemic- production efficiency.
related disruptions and
changing regulations.

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