By Albert Makendenge
Young and established farmers alike have got to be disciplined enough to follow some rules and principles that will almost always guarantee them success even when the hard times hit. Below are some rules/ guidelines that successful farmers live by.
First up is the ability to live way below your means . This goes hand in hand with the ability to build equity at the same time. All the expenses that the farmer is incurring should be way below all the revenue that is coming in. Strict budgeting will help you as a farmers to take out and do away with unnecessary expenses.
Another important rule to ensure success is staying connected to family members and/or employees who work closely with you. Maintaining constant communication with everyone makes them feel very valued and gives them a clearer and better understanding of the financial or production goals of your farming venture.
“Putting all your eggs in one basket is risky”- unknown, so they say. This is where the aspect of diversification comes in. As a farmer you should consider securing different sources of income whether it on or off your farm. The idea here is that well performing ventures will cover for those that are struggling.
A business plan is also needed to clearly lay out all your future production, financial and marketing activities. This will not only give you direction and guidance as you continue with your farming venture. It also allows to be able to set specific and achievable goals, allowing you to clearly see if you are meeting your targets. It is never a good idea to just start an enterprise without clear steps on how to see it through.
As a result of pressure or over ambitiousness, you may take on one too many goals or targets at a time. As a farmer be aware of this and try to avoid this as much as possible. It is always best to take things slow and take small steps in the beginning. Getting very good at a few things when starting out is the best way to go.
Last but not least to be a successful farmer , you must master the ability to stay focused on what you wants to achieve even in the face of very harsh and hard times. It is this kind of experience that will mold you into a truly seasoned farmer that can get through anything and everything.