Aiming for Success! New Farmers 40 | 5 Survival Strategies Every New-Era Farmer Should Know

For someone like me aiming to become a new farmer, anxiety about income is something that cannot be avoided.

Can I make it as a farmer? Can I survive?

This thought never leaves the back of my mind.

In this article, I will write down the inspiration I received from the November 21st Voicy episode by agricultural management consultant Kazuhiro Takatsusa, titled "The Difference Between Farmers Who Survive and Those Who Don't."

I gained some hints to help reduce this constant anxiety, so I will share them with you, the readers.

It is, quite simply, whether or not you can adopt the perspective of
“whether you have the mindset to go out and create your own future.”

In this article, I will focus on the differences between farmers who survive and those who do not, and consider the key mindsets and actions for moving toward the future.

The Necessity of Change

The agricultural industry is constantly changing. New technologies, consumer preferences, climate change—all of these are unavoidable challenges for us farmers.

The important thing is not just to accept these changes, but to consider how to incorporate them into our own farming. Trying new farming methods, choosing crops that meet market needs, or finding ways to interact directly with consumers.

These are all concrete examples of “adapting to change” to survive in the coming era. A heart that does not fear change and continues to evolve will be the key to our growth as farmers and to a sustainable future.

5 Perspectives of Surviving Farmers

To survive in the world of agriculture, Mr. Takatsusa says that the following five perspectives are indispensable. These are the foundational mindsets for carving out the future with your own hands.

1. Having Agency

Successful farmers are aware of their responsibility for their own agricultural management. They have the resolve to pave their own way rather than relying on others or external forces.

2. Always Embracing Change

By flexibly responding to the changes of the times and incorporating new technologies and market trends, they continue to evolve. This includes innovation in sales methods and production techniques.

3. Having a Long-term Perspective

They do not just look at immediate profits, but make plans with a long-term view of 3, 5, or 10 years, aiming for sustainable agricultural management.

4. Learning and Growth

Continuing to learn is the key to growing your business. It is very important to actively incorporate new information and knowledge and to constantly update your own skills.

5. The Courage to Take Risks

Taking on new challenges involves risk, but you need the courage to move forward without fearing it. Manage risks systematically while considering both the scenarios where things go well and where they do not.

By adopting these perspectives, farmers will be able to adapt to changing markets and environments and achieve sustainable growth.
How you incorporate and implement these elements into your own agricultural management is what you should think about to survive, and it is the mindset you should have to survive.

The job of a farmer is a new challenge every day.
There are anxieties and difficulties, but the power to overcome them lies within all of you farmers.

Once I start farming, I want to keep the "5 Perspectives for Surviving Farmers" introduced here in mind and move forward.

Agriculture is a journey of sowing seeds, nurturing them, and harvesting.
We love that journey and live every day to the fullest. We can learn from our failures, grow, and build a sustainable future.

I hope this article has given even a little bit of hope and courage to my fellow travelers on the path of agriculture, just like me.
Let us grow together and prosper together. We have that power.

I am getting even more excited about what starts in April.

Thank you for reading until the end.

See you tomorrow.

End

Thanks to your support, the "Aim for it! New Farmer" series has progressed smoothly, and this is now the 40th article.
So far, we have covered:
1. Let's go meet farmers
2. What kind of public support is available for new farmers?
3. Summary | Know the hurdles and face them
4. Is agriculture something you love?
5. Work experience at a Haskap farm
6. What is a Haskap?
7. Starting to press the accelerator and brake at the same time
8. Aiming for the top with technology
9. "If it's something you love, you should do it!"
10. Just like a Roomba! Mowing robot
11. The path to new farming through third-party succession
12. Taking over management from a Haskap farmer
13. Atsuma Town's support for new farmers is generous!
14. I visited the agricultural training facility
15. Haskap berries starting to color
16. One for every farming family!? Radio-controlled sprayer
17. The agriculture I want to practice in Atsuma Town
18.Even on the same tree, the taste varies depending on the location!
19. Haskap, the enchanting fruit that is good for your health
20. Let's go Haskap picking!
21. Restaurant in the field at Yamaguchi Farm
22. I wanted to be a Calendula farmer... so I moved
23. The lifestyle of an artistic farmer
24. Why train? What should I train in?
25. What do I want to do as a Haskap farmer?
26.Make up your mind
27. Finding the agriculture I should aim for
28. Selling through the flow of Agricultural Co-op → Wholesale Market
29. Selling through direct sales
30. The difference between marketing and sales
31. How can I get people to buy?
32. What is an Agricultural Co-op?
33. How should I interact with the Agricultural Co-op?
34. The crops I grow myself are the most delicious
35. How can I get people to empathize with that deliciousness?
36. Streamlining traceability with blockchain technology
37. Using NFTs to visualize the distribution flow of my products
38. What are the challenges to achieving fair prices for agricultural and livestock products?
39. Is direct sales the ultimate destination?
40. Can I really start farming under such good conditions!? (Joy)
41. What kind of information should farmers be sharing?
42. If there is a story behind the crop, I want to support it
43. Agricultural products meet wonderful chefs and have their value enhanced
44.Increasing the value of agricultural products through photography
45. Why do I want to do agriculture? Re-questioning the starting point
46. Learning from the perspective of a professional farmer
47. Learning under a professional farmer
48. Agriculture x Outdoors is a great match!
49. Let's increase the cards in our hand!
50. Success and failure
51. The benefits of doing agriculture near people
52. What exactly is an NFT anyway?
53. How do you use NFTs in agriculture?
54. What kind of information should I share with consumers?
55. Increasing the value of crops through branding
56. To know the region, start with the children
57. The dream of a smart farm! Future agriculture envisioned by autonomous harvesting robots
58. Regional aging and the future of farmland
59. The importance of connecting with the community
60. The power of conveying passion
61. Passion and timing are crucial for acquiring farmland!
are the themes I have been writing about, and they are compiled in a magazine.

Also, I write about various other topics with the theme of Education x XX.
I would be happy if you read them.
If you are new here, please start from this page.
I would be very delighted if you could 'like' or 'follow' me.

The article that has been read the most this week is here.