While many of our livestock farmers produce good quality genetics that could easily stand shoulder-to-shoulder with well-established farming brands out there, such farmers do not do much to expose such products to the world or at least the rest of Namibia.
In my many travels around farming communities in this great country of God, I have stumbled upon many farmers who have done their best to keep up with the evolving and fast-developing world of farming in which quality has become the epitome of such farming.
In these trying times, the focus is slowly shifting from filling up your kraal with livestock that may get you little return in the end. The trick now is to hold a bare minimum of livestock and rather focus on making such animals meet set quality standards.
Luckily, Namibian farmers have caught on and have been aggressively pursuing quality over quantity at any cost.
The introduction of superior genetics, maintaining good genes and continuously upgrading the overall quality of the herd have been among the most common ways in which farmers are contributing to an overall great generation of quality animals.
What is more encouraging is that most of these farmers are in communal areas.
And not just any form of communal areas, but the most infertile, hardy and drought-prone areas.
Yet, that has never inhibited their ambitions to grow.
They have taken it under their stride and come up with livestock that can compete with those farmed in communal areas any day.
I have come across farmers who have managed to raise the bar so high that one is left in awe of the determination and drive of such farmers.
And to note that this trend is being advanced by mainly new, younger farmers is encouraging as far as the future of farming is concerned. You may applaud them at this point.
Go ahead, I will wait.
But in spite of this, very little attention is given to the marketing of these fine products.
Most farmers are nowhere to be seen at agricultural shows – even those that are not so far away from where they carry out their farming operations.
Such agricultural events have over the years seen fewer farmers exhibiting their products.
The reason for this is farmers do not have money to enter such exhibition events or shows and would rather keep the limited funds at their disposal for the running of the farming enterprise.
This boggles the mind; what else could be more important than marketing for a business?
How else are farmers and other potential buyers of your products going to learn of these superior genetics that you hold on your farm?
Most importantly, how will you make money if you do not advertise your products so that they are sold in the end? The inverse is that you will be producing quality products that no one knows of – and that by extension – no one buys!
If it is the last penny that you would have to spend to get to a show event, do it.
It is beneficial in the long run for your farming operation.
Forget about the first prize or second prize certificates and money they present during such shows.
Your aim is to go there and let the world – or at least Namibia – see your products.
You want to lure them to your farm or kraal so that they can come to pick and choose what you have to offer.
Remember, there can be no shortcuts if you are determined to reach your farming goals.
A mountain is no higher than a hill if you aim to reach the summit.
Go on and market aggressively – be in people’s faces if you must – bore them with details about how good your products are.
They will notice, even subconsciously so, and that will be enough to get you sold.
– tjatindi@gmail.com