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F UT UR E F O CUS • •
must be excited. The growing
population needs good far
mers and stable agriculture!
deep to get back into the game.
Looking back on what has been
lost is not intended to make us
negative but rather to exhort us to
find courage to build back better.
I love these words from a volun
teer fireman: ‘My courage does not
roar... It whispers in my heart. It
makes me dig deep and find it in
my soul to fight on.’
As a result of political transforma
tion, South Africa’s agricultural
sector has had to dig deep and
become less reliant on govern
ment support. It has been forced
to look for new inspiration and
leadership and to turn to the pri
vate sector and non-government
organisations for support and
solutions – and farmers have had
to become determined, resilient
and creative.
Think 10x, not 10%. Be pre
pared to make revolutionary
changes not only evolutionary
ones. Although our challenges
may seem huge we need to
start somewhere - and be pre
pared to change.
Bet on technical insights. As
agriculturalists we have unique
insights and opportunities
which can contribute towards
sectoral development.
Ship and iterate. Just get
started, launch your product
or idea, learn and improve as
you go along, don’t be para
lysed while waiting for perfec
tion.
Twenty percent time. Easy
enough! Everyone should
spend 20% time doing what
they are passionate about.
This stimulates creative thin
king and we will build a better
community.
DON’T LOOK BACK... YOU’RE NOT
GOING THAT WAY!
If we want the sector to thrive
and not just survive, it is up to
us. We need to step up and face
our challenges – and we all need
to make a contribution. We need
to understand drivers of change at
national and international level …
and we need to innovate! Default to OPEN. This
approach embraces sharing of
information. Google taps into
ideas from the public saying,
“There are 7 billion people
‘out there’... the smartest
people will always be outside
Google!” Best results are
achieved when a community
builds together.
We could learn from “Google’s 9
principles for Innovation” which
have helped them thrive: Fail well! There is nothing
wrong with failing, it’s wrong
not to try. Fail frequently, fail
fast and fail forward!
Innovation comes from any-
where. It’s everyone’s responsi
bility. The health of our sector
requires our contribution.
Focus on the user. If we focus
on the consumer then we
Have a mission that matters.
Our work must impact people
in a positive way... it does!
“If you spend yourselves on
behalf of the hungry and satis
fy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the
darkness, and your night will
become like the noonday” -
Isaiah 58:10.
DON’T HIDE YOUR LIGHT
UNDER A BUSHEL
Theo Vorster, CEO Galileo
Capital, believes South African
farmers are among the best in the
world, despite a hostile environ
ment. Farmer Charl Senekal said
in ‘Nation in Conversation” that
the goodwill of commercial farm
ers is underestimated. He agrees
with Washington that “Farming
is the most important career that
anyone can follow. We must feed
the nation. We must produce
affordable, quality food for this
nation. Farming gives back to
people and puts what it takes
back into resources and protecting
them.”
When we network and tap into
our agri-organisations we learn
from top academics like Prof.
Mohammad Karaan who cham
pions agriculture saying it must
form an important part of the
economic future of South Africa.
Absa’s Agricultural Outlook 2017
highlights that new technologies
create opportu nities for agricul
ture to recapture consumers’ busi
ness through direct dealing and
African trends like urbanisation,
income growth and informed
consumers all support agricultural
investment.
These truths should all re-fuel
our enthusiasm for our sector.
Challenges exist. We have to work
to convince others to value our
sector. We need to gain recogni
tion for the positive contributions
we make and improve on the
weaknesses. We have much to
offer. We must not grow weary.
We must commit ourselves to
build back better… because it is
the right thing to do.
SENWES Scenario • OKT/NOV 2017
51