AP - How The World's Leading Farmers Are Responding To Global Changes -a Consultant's Review

Agribusiness systems (from ‘farm to fork’) are undergoing enormous changes. This paper first considers the major drivers of change and their dramatic impacts on farmers and farm management systems. Drawing on the authors’ experiences working with farmers around the world the paper then considers nine major areas where leading farmers are focusing as they seize the opportunities from the changes .These are: planning (strategic and operational); environmental management; new technologies; co-operation; developing a market-driven focus; business growth; risk management; off-farm businesses and managing people. Examples of successful strategies are given for each of the management areas drawing on case studies from a number of countries. The paper concludes with a check list that managers and their advisers can use to assess how well a farm business has prepared for success in the new world of agribusiness.

Keywords: drivers of change, management systems.