Company Annoucement - The young farmer of the future ought not to focus solely on the effective production of a commodity, but should make the mind shift to investigate different ways to create and capture value and to develop business models in order to present a product which is both attractive and useful for the end consumer.  

A world-renowned speaker on agricultural improvement techniques and optimal agricultural business practices, Prof Hamish Gow of the Massey University in New Zealand, was the main speaker at Senwes’s 11th Young Farmer Future Focus Day on 11 September at NAMPO Park. He urged the group of young farmers from the Free State and North West to become familiar with the end consumer of their products and to find out exactly what the needs of that consumer are.  

Gow further said that young farmers must seek new business models rather than only execute business plans. With reference to international success stories of commodity businesses – for example coffee beans, milk, Merino sheep and Kiwifruit businesses which were transformed into consumer focused businesses – he argues that some of these models can be used to change the mindset of local producers and enable them to enter international markets.  

Producers were taught to increase production and accept the prices in the market, but young farmers will need to spend more time exploring how and to whom they should market. The time has come for agricultural businesses to transform from a portfolio of products to a portfolio of business models.

Francois Strydom (Managing Director: Senwes) delivered a message to the young farmers and stated that the future is a product of the active design work of the contestants thereto. 

“The future is evolutionary due to the dynamic environment in which we live and conduct business. Don’t spend too much time in the present. A lack of vision for the future creates negativity and causes your people to be lethargic in following you. Leadership and vision goes hand in hand and that is the reason why Senwes spends money and goes to a lot of trouble to help young farmers design and redesign their own future.

“Today is a building block, even if it is only to make the decision to be actively involved with the design of your own future, but also your people and communities. South Africa won’t be saved by politicians, but by normal people. Take the future in your own hands,” said Strydom.   

“Young farmers were helped today to think more like entrepreneurs, because we currently produce the food and seek a market afterwards. This, while we should be looking at who our market is and how to attend to those consumers’ needs within their financial abilities,” said Magnus Theunissen (Chairman: Agri NW Young Farmers Association) at the conclusion of the day.

The latest John Deere FarmSight technology was demonstrated by Senwes Village Mechanisation. FarmSight offers an integrated solution according to which equipment, technology and the local dealer work together to limit down time due to breakages.  

The Young Farmer Associations of Agri NW and Free State Agriculture annually present the Young Farmer Future Focus Day with the financial assistance of Senwes and in co-operation with Grain SA.