GLOBAL CHALLENGES, SIMPLE SOLUTIONS?
YES!
BY DR. NIMROD
| The simple rule is; the greater the global challenge is, the greater the business opportunity and potential.If you are not sure of that rule, ask Tesla’s CEO, Elon Musk, whose market value is more than the combined USA three biggest car manufacturers.We all know that using electric cars reduces fossil fuels’ use and hence helps fight Global Warming.People love this simple, easy, and comfortable concept, even if they need to pay a premium price for Tesla’s cars.Would Tesla get such a high valuation if it wasn’t for the “eco-friendly/environmental” branding? Surely not.Much thanks to Elon Musk, now everybody is aware of how much we can do to fight Global Warming while making a decent profit in the process. AGRO-INDUSTRY: THE PROBLEM OR THE SOLUTION?The agro-sector impacts more people and land than any other sector or industry, yet it is hardly involved in the solution-creation of Global Challenges.Not providing solutions to Global Challenges means that you don’t risk, but you also don’t gain. In this case, farmers will continue being poor.Is this what we want? Is it fate? Is there a way for farmers to provide solutions to Global Challenges and gain out of them?In this article, I wish to suggest that when we are creative enough, like Elon Musk is, we can profit from Global Challenges as Tesla does from Global Warming and the eco-friendly trend.In the following lines, we will see an example of how a modest initiative, the Biofeed designed and developed Green Valley initiative, simultaneously supports ALL UN SDGs, starting with the top three in priority: Poverty, Hunger, and Health.More details on YouTube Green Valley – SDG video series.The Glasgow, Scotland COP26 conference (October 21 – November 12, 2021), sends a clear message; Environmental, Social, and Health Global Challenges are at the center of the global agenda.The international community will invest trillions $ in addressing those challenges.In short, the Global Challenges pose significant business opportunities. ENGAGING A CHALLENGEIt is as simple as that;You can’t solve a problem by not being engaged in it or turning your head to the other side.Poverty and Hunger are Global Challenges, primarily associated with Africa and smallholder farmers.Instead of facing this challenge with full force, the world’s leaders prefer turning their heads to the other side.Surprisingly, those problems remain, while their size and the public disbelief in solving them keep growing.No one is too small to step up and make a change. Hence, Green Valley took upon itself to face and cope with Global Challenges, starting with Poverty, Hunger, and Health involving smallholders in Africa and emerging markets.Green Valley‘s holistic approach relates to the other 14 SDGs, as well as Global Warming.Green Valley’s long-term strategic attitude to Global Challenges is starting to pay off as we harness the fruits of labor. I always expected little from governments and was surprised when they did any positive act.However, I call upon entrepreneurs, businesses, and investors to start to view Africa and emerging economies not as a dangerous place to invest but as a Greenfield of unimaginable opportunities that one can find nowhere else. AFRICA’S ULTRA CHALLENGESWhen we think of Global Challenges, we can’t ignore the ones we face in Africa, where over 50% of the population is involved in agriculture, there is plenty of poverty and hunger, and the list goes on and on.The “African Challenge,” as I call it, is not for the faint of heart, for the black-sighted, for the unbelievers, or the cowards.The “African Challenge” and its solution is meant for those who have a vision and faith in their hearts, a long-term strategic view, and a strong desire to leave a legacy of a better world for future generations.As the saying goes, A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step forward.My “African journey” began 27 years ago. Long before I landed in Africa, I learned, developed, and perfected the technologies, protocols, and business models I would need to face the “African Challenge” properly.Hence, it is hard to call my current activity in Africa a “first step”.Yet, the Green Valley initiative, which I lead, considers every day as “the first day” and every step as “the first step”.We do it for a good reason; Green Valley made a conscious and informed decision to change where others see, no hope, no business, no future, and mostly a financial land field of risks.Green Valley is doing what many consider a suicide mission; I mean, working with African smallholder farmers on a business basis.Green Valley‘s goal is to transfer smallholders from Agriculture to Agro-industry and from Poverty, Hunger, and bad Health to lives of Prosperity.Do you think this is challenging enough?Do you think this is not possible, or without a business potential? In the following, we will see how Green Valley‘s business focuses on the mango industry, a high added value crop, is tunneled into a business advantage that is hard to copy or compete.This competitive advantage results from a deep understanding of the professional, social, and business environment.Hence, Green Valley projects yield the historical changes we anticipated and unprecedented business opportunities for all stakeholders. MANGO: MARKET AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIESTo make this world a better place, I prefer seeing around me Opportunities rather than Problems.If we pause and take a step back, we can view each of the many mango industry problems as a unique business opportunity.Hence, Green Valley’s business approach is to actively search for major Problems and then turn them into clear and significant Business-opportunities for all stakeholders.You turn a Problem into a Business opportunity by providing a practical and affordable solution.In the case of the Mango industry, it meant scanning the entire value chain and providing a solution to each problem, from the Farmers to the Consumers.We do this while keeping firmly linked with the stakeholders’ fears, hopes, and goals and the UN SDGs and Global Goals, to which we feel deeply connected and committed.In the tables below, you will see a comparison between the “Current State and Solutions” (typical to Africa and Asia) versus “Green Valley Solution” to the most pressing problems of the mango industry in Africa and emerging economies.When you view those tables, please keep in mind (a) we view Problems and Challenges as Opportunities, (b) the scalability of the Green Valley model, and flexibility to operate from and in various countries, continents, and crops. |
| TABLE 1: Growers’ point of view |
| TABLE 1: Growers’ point of view |
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| TABLE 2: Consumers’ (market) point of view |
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| TABLE 3: Health and well-being point of view |
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| TABLE 4: Environment point of view |
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| TABLE 5: Bio-security point of view |
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| THE MAGICAL PACKAGEIn a calculated and measured way, Biofeed designed, developed, and now is implementing a solution containing a complete Package of tools:A breaking through technology – Freedome.A novel protocol – Fruit Fly Certified Trade Zone (FFCTZ).A revolutionary business model – Green Valley National Export Project (Green Valley).A handful of companies, and more so in the agro-industry, can say they bring a complete value chain solution as a Package, which includes Technology, Protocol, and a Business model.But Dr. Nimrod, anyone can say that he brings a breaking through technology, etc.,What makes Green Valley different?Green Valley emphasizes the results, which anybody can see and measure in each of its projects during many years of successful activity. |
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| Green Valley has business objectives, as all companies do. But, in addition, we also measure the Good and the Change we bring to this world.We ask ourselves in a very straightforward manner, “How many people have we improved their lives this year thanks to our activities?”When I say “improved lives,” I mean in the broadest sense – livelihood, health, environment, security, future dreams, etc. “I WANT TO SEE…” |
“I WANT TO SEE…” I have my “end results” expectations, which motivates me and became my goals, my “I want to see…” list. These “End Results” are my North Star, which guides me “in dark nights and stormy days," as much as they do “in sunny, smiling days." I WANT TO SEE the farmers we work with stop losing 50% of their produce and 90% of their potential income due to fruit fly related issues. I WANT TO SEE farmers increasing their income and moving from poverty to prosperity. I WANT TO SEE proud smallholders walking in their fields with smiling eyes and heads up. I WANT TO SEE how farmers who do not use sprays present better quality produce than those using sprays. I WANT TO SEE all of us protecting the health of farmers, communities, consumers, and our environment by stopping releasing chemicals to the environment (i.e., spraying and fertilizing). I WANT TO SEE consumers smiling and asking for more tasty mangoes from African smallholders and other quality eco-friendly suppliers. I WANT TO SEE consumers learning more about the farmers who grew their tasty Green Valley mangoes and a direct connection between them. I WANT TO SEE consumers shifting from fresh produce treated by sprays to Green Valley's socio-eco-friendly, Zero-Sprays produce. Is ALL the above list possible to achieve? This is not a question anymore; Green Valley practices it every day and in each project. View Senegal's Press Conference, earlier this year (September 2021) - SEN; Thies24 The table below summarizes Biofeed and Green Valley’s achievements so far, so you can compare where we are versus other methods and players are. More importantly, this table indicates how far we can go (a hint, it is very far). Table 6: Differentiation When you do Good to Others, the Environment and Health, you can and should BRAND it, as Tesla did. Hence, Green Valley marketing emphasizes the differences in the quality of mangoes grown without sprays and harvested on time versus others. By doing so, Green Valley increases its exposure, differentiation, and profitability. The big Global Challenges questions: Are you happy with the state of agriculture in emerging economies? Is agriculture/farmers part of the Global problems or the solutions? As Tesla creating an eco-friendly environment, could we not have agro-company creating prosperity for smallholders? I invite you to step up and become an active business partner or investor in Green Valley’s projects and its global vision. TAKEAWAYS » GLOBAL CHALLENGES pose global risks, as much as international business opportunities. » INNOVATION is the solution for global challenges, and “innovation” is business. » AFRICA’S SMALLHOLDERS can become a business asset when using the right Package of technologies, protocols, and business model. Please press on the picture to follow me on LinkedIn. If you enjoyed the article please share it with friends and colleagues.
