| THE BEST TIMES EVER From the above recent analysis, we learn that regardless of the severity of the conflict in Ukraine, it is up to governments to improve the global trading and food crisis by changing their approach and dropping trade barriers. We can conclude that working hand in hand with the government is a MUST. If your agro-business activity supports the national economy, the government would literally fight for it. If you look at the past 50 years, you would realize a fundamental truth; the present is the best time ever for non-developed economies to improve, revolutionize, and re-establish their agro sector as a pivot in their national economy. FIVE + THREE REASONS FOR WHY NOW IS A PERFECT TIME FOR NATIONAL PROGRAMS IN THE AGRO SECTOR - - Readiness for NATIONAL PROGRAMS has never been greater.
In the past year, I have seen governments of non-developed countries that, based on non-realistic business programs for the agro sector, took huge loans and grants (I leave the $$$ numbers to you to imagine), which most probably they would fail to pay back. If this is the case with non-realistic programs, imagine how much capital governments can raise for the agro sector long-term strategic program based on a realistic, well-designed, and field-proven (i.e., low risk) plan! - Business opportunities are better than ever.
Huge (and growing fast) premium markets are ready to receive and pay a premium for high quantities of quality products. - Access to funds has never been easier.
Banks, international financial organizations, and most importantly, business people and investors are ready to invest in staple and high-value crops’ food production. The growing population and demand for quality products and the inevitable global crises impacting food production and supply create a confident forecast for high demand and rising prices. - Technology was never more advanced.
Availability and accessibility to state-of-the-art technologies benefit those who know how to use their advantages. This, regardless of where they are or how much money they have in the bank. - Sentiment has never been more positive.
The public and market opinion never had a more positive sentiment towards supporting high IMPACT investments in non-developed economies. This is in light of the inability to meet the world's food needs. (PLUS THREE) The above five themes/sections are self-explanatory and intuitive. In fact, until recently, it was a concept that you need nothing in addition if you have those. For that reason, AGRA's program focuses on the above themes. We were looking for a chance to transform countries and farmers from net importers to exporters and poverty to prosperity. Unfortunately, reality proved that the above five themes are insufficient to create a continuous and sustainable change. This didn't prevent billions $ from continuing to flow into poverty and hunger eradication mega-plans, causing many more billions and decades to go down the drain. Why did they keep following the same failed path if it didn't work? Because even when things do not work, it is the nature of people and systems to continue to operate by the force of inertia. But now, at last, this has changed; with the Dream Valley model completing the missing links, we finally have a WORKING alternative. If you have followed my columns for a while, those three additional sections I called “the missing links" wouldn't surprise you. To those who don’t follow me, I say; that discovering the "missing links" results from many years of in-depth research, field test, development work, and out-of-the-box thinking. All these were then field-tested in hundreds of sites for over seven years. Thanks to the discovery, crystallization of ideas, and field-testing of the missing links, we now understand what went wrong and why poverty and hunger were persistent although endless efforts. As a result, we now understand what and how to do things differently to succeed. Here are the two additional themes / "missing links," with a short explanation. - The first missing link: Dedicated business models for smallholders.
In 2023 for the first time in history, a conference will be focused only on Business Models dedicated to smallholders in non-developed economies. The conference’s official name is - The International Conference on Business Models in Agriculture (IBMA). I am proud to be its Director and part of the organizing committee. IBMA is a milestone for those waiting for a historic turn for the two billion people whose livelihood depends on agriculture. Dedicated business models for smallholders in non-developed economies are a breakthrough in our understanding of the sources and causes of poverty and ways to approach its solution. - The second missing link: A Holistic Concept; Ecosystem& Mechanism, transforming the agro sector at a national level.
The early bird in this novel domain is a spinoff of Biofeed named Dream Valley. Dream Valley is a business-oriented model (Program and Platform). For more information, note the bonus paragraph below. - The third missing link: New age eco-friendly crop protection and soil improvement solutions.
In this era, we would use methods and technologies with zero or positive health and environmental impact. Biofeed’s Freedome fruit fly management solution, where the infestation is 99% less than chemical intervention. i.e., sprays, yet without sprays is a leader in this domain. ====================================== Now that we have discovered and developed the "missing links," themes 6-8, we can engage better in fighting poverty and hunger, or as I prefer relating to those – create prosperity. Investors, Decision-makers, High officials, and Governments, this is the perfect (positive) storm for you! Would you sit aside and do nothing, doming your population for more suffering, or would you act and seize the moment? THE END OF THE MISCONCEPTION ERA I hate to say this, but based on my observations, we perceive poverty and hunger as a problem we need and can eradicate as we do with a disease for too many years. And if it is "a disease," then there is a “pill” we should prescribe to fix the problem. For example, read the paragraph below. Can you figure out what Bill Gates believes to be “the magic pill”? “I’ve never been shy about my passion for fertilizer. It’s a magical innovation responsible for saving millions of lives from hunger and lifting millions more out of poverty by boosting agricultural productivity.” This “magic pill” attitude towards poverty/hunger can be simplified as follow: Poverty - The problem (disease): People without money. The solution (medicine): We would continuously “inject” them money through grants, subsidies, loans, etc. Then, we wait, hope, and pray for things to improve. Hunger/unproductive agriculture - The problem (disease): Low yield. The solution (drug): We would continuously provide them with technologies/chemicals. Then, we wait, hope, and pray for things to improve. Unfortunately, waiting, hoping, and praying, even in addition to billions $, didn’t bring the expected change. The above attitude caused pain, suffering, and loss of decades to 175 non-developed economies and two billion people whose livelihood depends on agriculture. Therefore, responsible governments should immediately stop practicing it. WINDS OF CHANGE The message of this column is straightforward – now is the time for governments, organizations, investors, and companies to step in and harness the abundant opportunities that the agro sector in non-developed economies has to offer. EVERYTHING is working in your way; you have only to make sure you participate in the party. Those who will not act now can only blame themselves for failing to see the obvious in the years to come. Make an effort and step out of your comfort zone. Then act. Change is here, not because of luck or some magical pill (innovation), thanks to a well-defined and tested model, the Dream Valley model, with field-proven and high-value results. This change is permanent because it results from a profound understanding of the agro-ecosystem, yielding a novel approach. This resulted in the development of two complementary tools, which were the missing links. Hence, we made sure the Dream Valley model considers and relates to the above themes 1 through 8, which integrally include, for the first time: * Dedicated business models for smallholders. * A Holistic Concept; Ecosystem & Mechanism, transforming the agro sector at a national level.
* New age crop protection and soil improvements. By having a complete model, we can do the alchemy of turning Poverty into Prosperity, Agriculture into Agro-Industry, and refocus from Local to Export markets. At last, the agro sector would turn from "the sick man of the national economy" to its "economic engine." Allow me to summarize by saying that everything you read to this point, including all novelties, concepts, models, and much more, is now available to governments and those working with the Dream Valley Program and Business Platform. BONUS: DREAM VALLEY (EXPANSION) Here are some things you like to know about Dream Valley: Dream Valley does for farmers what Amazon did to SMEs and much more; it democratizes nations’ and farmers' access to state-of-the-art technologies, services, markets, and everything needed to succeed. Dream Valley's full name is Dream Valley National Export Program. It is about changing the National agro sector through marketing to premium markets, e.g., export markets. Dream Valley takes a lot from the successful Israeli model that enabled to turn poor Israeli farmers into successful ones and Israel into a leader in the global agro-industry. Dream Valley’s Vision and Mission: “To improve farmers’ livelihood by increasing quality production, free of bio and chemical hazards, grown in a safe, eco-friendly environment, to enable consumers to enjoy better and healthier food and life.” Dream Valley assumes that all stakeholders in the agro sector in non-developed economies, e.g., governments, farmers, and value chain partners, want to improve their life situation. Hence, Dream Valley’s task is to help those fulfill their desires, wishes, and dreams. In Dream Valley, we don't believe in Magic and Tricks. We believe in listening, deep thinking and understanding, improving, innovating, field-testing, collaborating, and learning from others. ALL of this is to bring a business-oriented long-lasting, sustainable change to the agro sector in non-developed economies, agreeing with ESG and UN SDG principles. In Dream Valley, we do not believe in superficial and quick solutions. We do believe in elementary, long-term strategic solutions based on proven results. Dream Valley views all stakeholders, including the government and farmers, as equal investors who expect and deserve to receive a high return on investment. Dream Valley brings its Package of solutions as easy and straightforward to use as a plug-and-play App. Dream Valley encapsulates the wisdom, experience, data, and field results learned over decades in Israel. It then adjusts it (tailor-made) per country/state/region and delivers it as an easy-to-use Package. The Dream Valley Package comprises three interconnected elements: A dedicated business model - makes it highly attractive to strategic investors and governments. Technologies and Services – enables accessibility and availability to Biofeed's Freedome technology and the Fruit Fly Certified Trade Zone (FFCTZ) protocol. This, in addition to hundreds of eco-friendly technologies and services available to any subscribed country and farmer. Ecosystem – designing and building the foundation for a long-lasting advanced and leading agro sector. Suggested additional reading on Dream Valley’s Components and Blueprint for a change. | 
