The above three stories involve entrepreneurs who dared to do what others didn't dare to dream. They dreamed and acted accordingly. They did the unexpected, defying agreed conventions and standards by creating NEW approaches, concepts, and standards. Their beginning was not faultless, but they were not shy about sharing their dreams. In fact, sharing their dreams enabled their vision to come true. A DREAM TO SHARE In June 2021, while I was in Senegal, three entrepreneurs, Mr. Isaac Kagara, Prof. Ikechi K. Agbugba, and Ms. Gisele Masengo, contacted me, saying they wanted to do something to impact the African agro sector. After several months of discussions, we agreed on the issues we wish to focus on and promote broadly and globally - » We will focus our activity on small-hold farmers. » We want to see small-hold farmers shifting from poverty to prosperity and becoming part of the middle class. » We want to see developing economies turning their agro sector from Agriculture into Agro-Industry Business. » We want to see the agro-industry more conscience about the health of the food it produces and the environment where it grows. The next thing we agreed on is that technology and agrochemicals failed to bring the expected prosperity, sustainability, and good health to small-hold farmers and the world. From here, the way was short to an agreement on a shared vision and a path to lead us there. THE VISION “Small-hold farmers live in economic prosperity, growing an abundance of healthy food in a healthy environment. THE PATH An international conference in which we will discuss advanced business models dedicated to small-hold farmers in developing economies. With this, the preparations for the International Conference On Business Models In Agriculture (IBMA), 27-29 April 2023, in Kigali, Rwanda, went underway. THE UNDERLYING MESSAGE The IBMA conference's Goal is to help small-hold farmers have dedicated advanced business models which will change their status to become part of the middle class. But there is another goal, which we don’t talk about, but is highly strategic - to create global awareness of the three topics mentioned above. You see, as entrepreneurs, we wanted to draw attention and create awareness of topics we care about. Therefore, we kept sharing our Dreams, visions, Goals, and Mission. Please read the next part and judge how well we did the "awareness" and "drawing attention" jobs. * Two years ago, you couldn’t hear any conversation relating agriculture to business models; now you do. * Two years ago, you couldn’t see one post relating to business models in agriculture on social networks. In the past two years, we have posted hundreds of posts on LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, columns, podcasts, webinars, etc., discussing business models in agriculture. Those generated hundreds of thousands of views. * Two years ago, the only way people consider to help farmers was by pushing them with more technologies, or even easier, with subsidies and donations. Now they consider business models too. * The IBMA 2023 conference is supported and promoted by the state of Rwanda and its state agriculture university! * Two years ago, people were reluctant to participate in the conference. Now the IBMA conference is booked to take place in two more countries in 2024 and 2025. * Two years ago, we said we would be happy even if we had 50 attendees. Now we have over 300 registered attendees. * Two years ago, you couldn’t see a post made to advertise where the * Two years ago, to promote African Agriculture Day, you discussed “Novel Technologies.” Now, it is about business models. |