SPECTACLES OF AN ENTREPRENEUR SMALL SCALE FARMER

By Zhunga Simbwalanga

"He is no fool who gives what hecannot keep to gain what he cannot lose." - Jim Elliot

When you think of a farm, what firstflashes in your mind? If it is not money then you probably need to change yourperception of farming. The first enterprise that man was given by God was thegarden so that in it he can perpetuate his life.

It is only when we view farming as abusiness that it will really make sense otherwise there would be no measure forgrowth in farming.

Most farmers if asked how much profit they made in the first half of this year 2022, very few, if any, would be sincere to answer this question. The reason is we don’t have the spectacles of an entrepreneur in farming.  

How many even keep books of Accounts, Human Resources, Asset Books for the respective farms? This is very important as it helps to keep record of all transactions and can help in future decisions.

One day I was visited by an Accountant friend at the farm whom I told that my goats were more profitable than my vegetables. Then he asked me of the Sales books so he can give me his analysis. I didn't have any so he asked me what my basis of comparison was and I got stuck.

Then he went all out teaching me the importance of maintaining the books of Accounts. He said that I must treat my Farming as an Investment and move from the traditional farming of doing as I please.

 Mostly the perception of seemingly flourishing small scale farmer is that of a side hustle as we pursue our different fulltime jobs. That is what has limited some small-scale farmers to achieve greatly in the score of farming.

A colleague was recently promoted at work and was testifying how busy the new position has been and how it has resulted in her reducing the attention in the farming business. This is all because the main hustle is the work but when you put farming as number 1, the real deal comes to effect.

The truth is farming is a real deal and has regenerative effects to our physical, spiritual, economical and even social growth.

Let's change our spectacles because farming is a business.  We can grow our individual economy through farming.  All we need is to treat farming differently.

Zunga Farms

We Farm You Eat!

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