"The book we write today is what our children read tomorrow."
Good things take time—just as an African elephant takes 22 months, a whale 18 months, and humans nine months to bring new life into the world, it has taken me eight years of hard labor, discovery, and reflection to bring to life a draft of the book Together Forever: Farmers' Journey to Prosperity.
Eight years ago, I began writing a weekly column on topics I'm deeply passionate about—agriculture, technology, and the challenges facing smallholders. Initially, my focus was on crop protection and agrotech. But over time, I realized that while these tools have tremendous potential, they fell short of delivering the breakthrough in smallholders' livelihoods I had envisioned and were far from bringing sustainable prosperity to their communities. This realization shifted my focus to what truly matters: smallholders themselves, the business models they rely on, and the disruptive innovations (not necessarily technological) needed to transform impoverished rural communities into prosperous ones.
These columns sparked enriching conversations with readers, prompting me to ask more profound questions and challenge old assumptions. Over time, I realized that new readers often struggled to grasp the full context while others printed out all my columns for reference. Eventually, more than a few would ask me directly, "Why don't you write a book?"
A combination of passion and urgency finally pushed me to write Together Forever, a book that brings hope and tells the extraordinary story of two types of rural communities that share more than they realize: the impoverished smallholders and the once-impoverished, now prosperous Kibbutzim community. Both are united by the same desire for a life of prosperity and dignity.
The book is structured around selected columns, pieced together to present the journey of understanding the root causes of poverty and prosperity. It takes the reader through a process of questioning, exploring possibilities, and ultimately reaching conclusions and insights along the way.
Why Now? Why This Book?
The world is at a crossroads. Despite significant technological advances in agriculture, rural communities remain trapped in poverty. We are realizing that conventional solutions alone cannot solve this crisis. Together Forever was born out of the need to share hard-won lessons from the field and offer fresh insights into one of the most pressing global questions: Why are smallholders still impoverished?
This book goes beyond my personal experiences—it offers a comprehensive, systematic exploration of the factors that drive both poverty and prosperity, seen through the eyes of smallholders, agrotech leaders, investors, traders, policymakers, historians, human behavior experts, and even physicists. It's not just about agriculture; it's about understanding human connections, how they influence success and failure, and the social structures that build or break communities. Ultimately, it explores the relentless pursuit of prosperity and happiness that defines us as human beings.
Who Is This Book For?
Together Forever is for everyone who believes in the possibility of transforming rural communities and recognizes that traditional methods of injecting technology and funds aren't enough to bring the desired change. It's for academics, agrotech leaders, investors, policymakers, and anyone passionate about creating long-term prosperity for smallholders through innovative approaches. Written in an engaging and accessible style, the book provides deep insights without overwhelming readers with technical jargon.
It's also an invaluable resource for university courses on community building, agriculture, and poverty alleviation—designed to keep students not only informed but engaged and inspired. Decision-makers, industry leaders, and anyone interested in creating long-lasting prosperity locally and globally will find the book thought-provoking and actionable.
Bringing Israel to Africa
Several years ago, I spoke to African agricultural M.A. students. At the end of our discussion, one of them raised his hand and asked, "Can we come to Israel to work with you after we finish our studies?"
I paused and replied, "My dream is that you won't need to come to Israel because we will bring Israel to you”. I didn't know how to make that dream a reality at the time, but I knew it was what we needed to do. Now, with Together Forever, I believe the dream is within reach.
This book doesn't just share insights from Israel's agricultural success—it brings practical models, innovative ideas, and solutions directly to students, professors, decision-makers, and practitioners worldwide. The knowledge and strategies it contains offer more than what a student might learn from a year of working in Israel.
The book connects the stories of smallholders and Israeli pioneers who once faced similar challenges yet built thriving communities. Those who visit or work in a Kibbutz often see only the surface of its success, missing the more profound understanding of why and how it truly works—something I overlooked until this study. Without grasping this underlying foundation, we cannot unlock the Kibbutz's success or replicate it elsewhere. Together Forever reveals the unseen mechanisms and values that drive real change.
I hope these stories will inspire the next generation of leaders to create change where they are, equipped with the tools and mindset to lift communities out of poverty and into prosperity.
How You Can Benefit and Contribute
Join the Waiting List: By signing up for the waiting list, you'll be the first to receive updates on the book's release. This is your chance to access groundbreaking insights and strategies that can reshape rural development and drive meaningful change. Together Forever isn't just a book—it's a blueprint for prosperity. Be among the first to read it and gain the tools to make a lasting impact on the communities you care about.
Publishers: Whether you're a private or university-affiliated publisher, you have the opportunity to bring Together Forever to a broader audience. This book can serve as a vital resource for students, educators, policymakers, and practitioners worldwide, especially in regions where rural development is critical. By publishing this book, you'll help empower communities with knowledge and strategies that could shape the future of agriculture, poverty alleviation, and economic development.
Editors: Are you an editor passionate about eliminating poverty, rural development, community building, and innovation? Your skills and added value will be vital in refining this critical message. As the draft moves into its final stages, I'm seeking a dedicated editor to help elevate the content to its highest potential. This is an opportunity to be part of a transformative project that will influence communities and decision-makers globally.
Sponsors: If your organization's values align with Together Forever's values—prosperity through collaboration, equality, self-management, innovation, and more—this is your opportunity to create a lasting legacy. Sponsoring the publication of this book isn't just charity; it's an investment in a movement that aims to uplift rural communities worldwide. Your support will help bring the book's valuable insights to decision-makers, students, and change-makers everywhere.
Building Prosperity Together
The core values I grew up with in the Kibbutz—equality, collaboration, integrity, the pursuit of happiness, and innovation as a way of improving life—form the foundation of this book. These values are more than personal beliefs; they are principles that can guide us in building prosperous, resilient rural communities worldwide.
Together Forever is not just a book—it's a movement toward building more robust, more prosperous communities where smallholders don't just survive—they thrive. Let's make this vision a reality, together.
Please share this message with a friend who will thank you and help me get this message to those who need to see it.
* To my friends in Uganda, I will be in Uganda this week (29.9-6.10). You are very welcome to contact me.
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More on the October 7th genocide in South Israel:
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Here are ways you can work with me to help your rural communities step forward to shift from poverty into ongoing prosperity:
* Nova Kibbutz and consultancy on rural communities' 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.
If you got to here, read this column, and enjoyed it, please be nice to your friends, share it with them, or help them Subscribe.
"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, “A Holistic View of Smallholder Poverty."
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.
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