Appy Farmers, Happy Society
There was a time when civilization was built on the foundations of adequate supplies of water and food, the very basics of what keeps us alive.
Then trade evolved, and we learnt to swap goods, so not everyone had to have water and produce food, they could make tools, or things that others wanted to buy and exchange. So money was invented, as a way of making it easier to exchange goods and services. That money was usually backed by something, most recently gold, so that people had trust in it and were willing to swap what they produced for money.
Then came the banks to manage the storage and flows of money, and the lawyers to make everything more difficult. As societies evolved, less and less people worked in food production, people moved away from water, and society started to think that societies were built on the lawyers, bankers and politicians, and rewarded them rather than those that supplied the water and food, or looked after the Earth.
Covid came along and reminded us that Mother Nature really is the one in control, and we should try not to get on the wrong side of her. And who is actually important in societies (who were the Essential Workers?)
The cost of food has gone up, partly due to covid, partly Ukraine situation, partly climate change, but in large part because farmers are struggling to make a decent living, with higher costs, more risk and less and return.
In richer countries, that led to inflation, and rising interest rates, punishing the people and slowing the economy. In poorer countries, it meant hunger, starvation, and in several countries, collapsing government.
So it's time to go back to basics. Get more money to farmers, so that they can produce more, and better, quality food, which is the real basis of our societies. And swap out antiquated banks and other unnecessary middle men and service providers for modern tech and systems, so that there is less waste and people getting fat off the farmers.
That's what we're aiming to do with the new partnership Plural Industry Holding Group announced with Abris - provide the systems, solutions and finance to farmers and the agriculture sector to give them the tools and profits they need to enable them to look after all of us.
Because if we don't, to misquote the famous Native American proverb, “When the last tree has been cut down, the last fish caught, the last river poisoned, only then will we realise that one cannot eat money, or lawyers (they leave a bad taste in the mouth, and have little nutritional value)"