"Propelling a process demands unwavering determination and perseverance".
Each event of the International Conference on Business Models in Agriculture (IBMA) indicates progress in fulfilling its defined long-term strategic process, which also applies to the IBMA 2024 conference.
The second IBMA conference has ended, but the process it declared at its establishment, as set below, keeps kicking and alive every minute, hour, week, and month, increasing and crystalizing from one conference to the other.
The IBMA acceleration process will accelerate the achievement of its declared goals (set below and on the IBMA site) at the third conference, which will be held in Kenya in March 2025.
Now is the time to ensure your impact on Africa and smallholders in developing economies by contacting me and taking your place as a Speaker, Attendee, and Sponsor.
Don't wait for tomorrow; there is only now, and now is the best time for you to shine as an entrepreneur, decision-maker, investor, academy researcher, leader, and visionary in your domain.
PURPOSE
The IBMA 2024 conference was established to serve a declared purpose, which is –
transforming the agro sector, particularly rural impoverished communities, from poverty to prosperity.
We believe smallholders have the right to live in dignity and maximize their potential, as we all do.
Sadly, this is “an impossible goal” for too many.
Luckily, the IBMA team and conference attendees are wealthy, with people who are pumped with passion and “crazy” enough to think they can change the world. Anyone attending the IBMA 2024 could witness that.
EVENT PROCESSING
It takes me many weeks or months to internalize and process the information, data, impacts, etc. I am exposed to during an event of the magnitude of the IBMA 2024.
Nevertheless, I will share some insights with you soon.
But before I do so, let us take a moment to reflect on why we established the IBMA conference and what we expect.
THE PROSPERITY GAP
When considering whether to organize the IBMA conference, we evaluated the "Current State" versus the "Future State" as we envisioned.
The gap between the two is what we view as "The Prosperity Gap,” which, for many reasons (too many), was not bridged for too many years. Now, our mission is to help bridge it.
To measure the IBMA's success, we must understand the conference's mission and the gap it aims to bridge.
CURRENT/START STATE (before initiating the IBMA)
Most farmers in developing economies live in poverty despite ongoing efforts to help them by supplying technologies, knowledge, and finance.
Poverty is treated like a chronic disease where global efforts shift from profit-driven to NGO-led initiatives, philanthropy, and donations.
FUTURE STATE (the state to which we aspire)
Thriving smallholder rural communities based on scalable, timeless, business-oriented models.
Such improvement is based on universal social and business models, which navigate rural communities to prosperity predictably and continuously.
MEANS (to bridge the Current vs. Future Gap)
Introducing impoverished rural communities with innovative business and social-oriented models (and complementary proven tools) dedicated to smallholders in developing countries.
Those will enable the initiation of a continuous, constant, scalable, and sustainable economic change process.
MAIN CHALLENGE
The biggest challenge we saw was changing the mindsets and attitudes of organizations, states, companies, farmers, and investors regarding the route that provided the path to the transition from smallholders’ poverty to prosperity.
MEASURING ACHIEVEMENTS
To measure the IBMA success, we would ask questions that can inform us about the conference position versus the Starting (Current) and Future states.
1) Cultivating ideas and concepts - To what extent have we stirred critical inquiry into the present condition? Have we effectively cultivated discourse on innovative business and social models as solutions to poverty among smallholders? Have we instilled faith in agriculture's profitability?
2) Serve as a platform for innovators and innovative ideas—How successful have we been in providing exposure to creative businesses and social models?
3) An enabling action platform—How much has the real-life situation among smallholders changed thanks to models presented and supported by the IBMA and AOTA (Africa Organization of Technology in Agriculture) organizations?
We are strategic and patient in our attitude to the challenges we face. Hence, while we anticipate no immediate transformative outcomes, we foresee a trajectory marked by continual advancements and improvement.
The young-born IBMA conference is celebrating its second event. Still, even at this early stage, we see an improving trajectory in its impact on the discourse on issues related to poor rural communities in academia, business, government, and NGOs.
Yet, the conference team understands that no single event or even two will change the unfortunate situation; instead, this state will transform through a step-by-step journey.
Therefore, the conference transcends a singular occurrence; instead, it embodies an annual tradition traversing nations, disseminating its message far and wide.
INSIGHTS
GENUINE PASSION AND EMOTIONS -
The IBMA 2024 conference was very emotional and sometimes rose to the level of a spiritual experience while having both feet down to earth.
When talking to the conference attendees, the word "family" was used more than once, indicating a mode of thinking that represents emotions, closeness, and passion with the conference participants.
Is it good or bad?
When you face a considerable challenge, such as the one the IBMA is challenging, you must have strong emotions and passion to help you overcome those challenges, or you will quit before achieving your mission.
YOUTH
Many students and young entrepreneurs were present at the IBMA 2024, all wishing to take part and participate in agro-industry initiatives.
Yet, they fear falling into the poverty cycle and looking for direction and guidance on making a decent living.
Agriculture does not drive young people away, but the fear of not being able to live in dignity does.
Young people understand this well: innovative business models offer their sole opportunity for a respectable income, driving their motivation to engage. Without these models, low wages risk driving them away from the sector they are passionate about.
PROJECTS
We at IBMA believe we should walk the talk, practice what we preach, and lead by example.
The IBMA conference set itself the challenging goal of implementing business models in every country it reaches.
We have yet to apply this, but in IBMA 2024, we set a goal of initiating one project or more with our partners in Rwanda.
The first and the most challenging project we set to launch is the “Kibbutz-Rwanda” concept.
If you want to learn more about the Kibbutz-Rwanda concept, to support it professionally, financially, or in any other way, send me a return email and ask for it.
ISRAEL
Israel's name came up many times during the conference, out of proportion to its size, presence, and influence in developing countries and Africa in particular.
It was no coincidence. Israel is needed and asked to contribute its share to improving the world, including the massive challenge related to smallholders in developing countries.
What is poverty if not modern slavery, as mental and economic freedom are interconnected!?
I address my Israeli friends and say to you, your salvation will come from thinking and acting to helping others.
VALUES
The word “values” emerged numerous times throughout the conference, linking prosperity with values.
Many see "values" as something social, almost "anti-business", which couldn't be further from the truth.
Remember that business companies, communities, countries, and superpowers often fall when they lose their core values.
Despite its small size, Rwanda, which hosted the IBMA 2024, is considered a leading African country thanks to the values its leadership instilled in its people.
When Steve Jobs returned to lead Apple (after being fired from it), the first thing he did was redefine the core values of Apple and ignite the passion in the hearts of its employees and consumers.
Do you still think that the transition of smallholders from poverty to prosperity will result from technology?
What are your organization's core values?
OPEN OPPORTUNITIES
Feel free to reach out if you're interested in:
* Exporting fresh fruits from Africa to the EU under the Dream Valley regenerative protocol brand for the 2024 season.
* Joining the Kibbutz-Rwanda concept project or establishing a similar initiative in your region.
Kindly provide your background and credentials to receive tailored next-step instructions.
*** Bonus video: Steve Jobs speaks about values (when Steve says "marketing", replace it with "Business", and everything will get clearer.) ***
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Here are four ways you can work with me to help your rural communities step forward to shift from poverty into ongoing prosperity:
* Consultancy on rural communities' models: Why, What, and How, e.g., based on the Kibbutz and Moshav lifestyle models.
* Local & National programs related to agro-produce export models - Dream Valley global vertical value and supply chain business model and concept connects (a) input suppliers with farmers in developing economies and (b) those farmers with consumers in premium markets.
* Crop protection: Biofeed, an eco-friendly zero-spray control technology and protocol solution, is most suitable for developing countries.
* IBMA Conference - To learn, share, and practice novel business models: the IBMA 2025 conference theme is “Reshaping Agribusiness Models for Building Prosperous Rural Communities." Register now or contact me.
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More on the October 7th genocide in South Israel:
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"Mental and Economic Freedom Are Interconnected."
See you soon,
Nimrod
Dr. Nimrod Israely is the CEO and Founder of Dream Valley and Biofeed companies and the Chairman and Co-founder of the IBMA conference. +972-54-2523425 (WhatsApp), or email nisraely@biofeed.co.il
P.S.
If you missed it, here is a link to last week's blog, “One Community Model For Prosperity and The Other For Poverty; Which Will You Choose”.
P.P.S.
Dream Valley is a field-proven disruptive business model based on the successful Israeli Model.
*This article addresses general phenomena. The mention of a country/continent is used for illustration purposes only.