| Such values are frequently expressed in the readiness to volunteer to help someone in need (without monetary compensation), even when volunteering costs you time and money, and this someone is a competitor at regular times. Examples of volunteering and support that Yariv received and helped him survive the current Extreme Event in Israel: Members of his Moshav community who do not work in agriculture volunteered to work on his farm. The Moshav secretary (management) helped with matters related to it. Fellow farmers from other communities reached out and helped as much as needed. Dozens of volunteers (mostly not farmers) from around Israel have arrived and offered the much-needed help. As in the above picture, even volunteers from outside Israel came to help. EXTREME EVENTS ARE NOT RARE
As a professional farmer, I know that no volunteers are as good as professional workers who know their job and do it daily. However, in Extreme Events, farmers don’t need “the best”; they need to survive, and they need a helping hand now. Not less critical for their recovery, they need to feel someone cares about them. Millions of farmers annually face Extreme Events in which, without help, they would collapse and turn from productive farmers to “social cases”. Often, all they need and all it takes is short-term extensive help, even when provided by non-professional volunteers. From my experience, the most meaningful is the help farmers get in such cases from their community members and country fellows. When the volunteers are from the community or the country/state, the unspoken message to the recipient is simple, straightforward, and powerful - "We understand you are going through horrible times. We are here for you because we care about you. You are important to us, part of us, and we will never let you fall. You have someone to trust. We know that if the situation were reversed, you would help us." This is a message that can be conveyed only through actions and which no words can replace. A powerful message that energizes and strengthens those who need reinforcement in their difficult time. It all begins with pre-agreed shared values, which we can’t see, touch, or measure but are responsible for the prosperity of societies and rural communities. FARMERS Yariv's story is a living testament to the challenges faced by farmers during Extreme Events. In his darkest hour, Yariv's salvation came from the hearts and hands of those who rallied around him. This narrative mirrors the core themes I've explored in previous columns – the vital role of shared values, trust, order, collaboration, and integration in the path to agro-sector success. Yariv's journey is not just his; it's a microcosm of the larger narrative unfolding when an Extreme Event hits farmers. The solidarity shown by volunteers from his community across the country and beyond is a testament to the power of communal bonds. It reinforces that a solid organizational foundation rooted in shared values can weather the most formidable storms. Yariv's story showcases that we can only talk about thriving in the agro-sector if we discuss farmers' long-term resilience amidst extreme challenges in pursuing a better future. In sharing Yariv's journey, I emphasize that the principles discussed in previous columns are not theoretical musings. Those principles are the living, breathing ethos that sustains thriving rural communities worldwide. Where we plant and nurture shared values, collaboration, and integration, farmers will harvest prosperity, and rural communities will thrive. Ways I can support your transition to thriving agriculture: * Consultancy on rural communities and the agro-sector (tailor-made). * Local/national programs related to export use the Dream Valley’s operational concepts of a global vertical value and supply chain connecting input suppliers with farmers in developing economies and farmers with consumers in premium markets. * Crop protection: Biofeed, an eco-friendly zero-spray solution development, production, and protocols. * IBMA Conference - To learn, share, and practice novel business models: Attend the IBMA 2024 conference. The 2024 conference theme is “Reshaping Agribusiness Models for Building Prosperous Rural Communities." Contact: +972-542523425 / nisraely@biofeed.co.il and be part of this transformative journey! TAKEAWAY MESSAGES » VALUES are the only things we can trust to propel help toward us when in need. » VOLUNTEERS showcase collective strength during agricultural crises. » SMALL-HOLD FARMERS that face Extreme Events have no one to reach out to help and, therefore, are doomed to an economic collapse, often accompanied by a personal and family crisis. | 
