I was chatting with a wine farmer friend the other day.
“How’s the harvest going?” I asked, aware of the challenges posed by the unseasonably wet summer.
“I wouldn’t be a proper farmer if I didn’t complain about something,” he replied.
It’s a sentiment echoed by farmers everywhere – if you’re not complaining, are you even farming?
Farmers, especially exporters, face plenty of hurdles, from rising costs to high debt levels. Yet, despite the challenges, there’s a spirit of perseverance that is truly inspiring.
They have plenty to complain about but have long since learned that complaining achieves nothing. Instead, they seek growth opportunities, focusing on areas under their control and working hard to influence the parts they can’t. It’s a never-ending uphill struggle.
Fruit farming, in particular, requires a mix of foresight, optimism, and significant faith, as trees planted today will only yield decent fruit years from now. It’s hard enough to plant the trees, keep pests at bay, and ensure a successful harvest, without the added worries of political and infrastructural challenges.
Yet, they persist, continue to invest in every aspect of food production, storage, and supply chains, and are always looking for new markets.
They have two choices: they can stop trying, which breeds complacency and speedy failure, or they can persist. Farming is in their blood, so they choose to evolve and make themselves an indispensable part of the economy.
The managing director of a global multinational recently asked me what it is in the character and work ethic of certain workers that sets them apart. The best answer I could come up with is that they’ve learned to manage high-functioning businesses in deeply challenging environments where there is no safety net.
This knowledge makes them resourceful, detail-oriented, and persistently aware that there is no plan B – failure is not an option. It focuses the mind.
A bit like Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, who, in 1519, arrived in South America to battle the Aztec empire. He famously ordered the ships that had brought him and 600 men from Spain burned to show there was no retreat and no escape and that the only way they would survive was to win the battles they would face. There was no turning back.
For many in challenging environments, there is also no plan B. They cannot afford to fail. Hence, there is a relentless quest to succeed, and it’s remarkable.
