It is high time we educate ourselves on how to survive in the economy as entrepreneurs. FILE PHOTO | NMG
One of my readers last week drew my attention to a Daily Nation
article: Dairy farmers leading a dog’s life. He sounded very low and
hopeless. I read the article and I was sorely disappointed.
I
recounted how few years ago he complained that he was underemployed and
was trying by all
means to raise capital to start a business. I encouraged him to move on. Dairy farming was his dream business.
means to raise capital to start a business. I encouraged him to move on. Dairy farming was his dream business.
I
empathised with him. I understood why he felt hopeless. If he was
underemployed earning barely enough to meet his basic needs and was
looking upon dairy farming as his saviour, then alluding that dairy
farmers are living dog’s life must be utterly heartbreaking.
In
the said article, it is noted that the milk processors have in the past
two months reduced the price of raw milk by over 40 percent to below
Sh25. However, they continue selling a litre up to Sh110 to consumers.
Farmers are paid too low to make a decent living. This is clearly one of
the vagaries of capitalism. More on that another day.
We
have a problem in this country. The last few months we have been fed
with tonnes of news of job losses in many sectors of the economy. The
problem is not new. It has been with us for some time.
Unemployment is a problem anywhere in the world today and
understandably politicians, policy makers and even opinion leaders are
talking of creating jobs especially for the sake of youth who are
leaving colleges in droves.
Little attention is however
given to people who are employed or are in business but are technically
slaves of others who are apparently making money. Think of people who
wake up every day to work but cannot afford the modest basic rights such
as decent meal, shelter, medical care or the indulgence of hope that
one day things will get better.
We have small traders
who are trapped in debts, farmers who cannot educate children or afford a
decent meal yet brokers in the same industry are living like the
Russian Tsars before the revolution.
I called the
aspiring entrepreneur after reading the article and restated my stand
that against all odds entrepreneurship is still the better option. Let’s
not be discouraged by few instances here and there.
It
is high time we educate ourselves on how to survive in the economy as
entrepreneurs rather than look upon employment as the ultimate solution.
Most
of the graduate today will never have pay slip in their lives and
unless they find alternative ways of earning a living, they will lead
lives worse than dogs.
I told my friend that the
challenges facing dairy industry are temporary. Dairy farmers are at the
mercy of few processors but that may be as well be another business
opportunity. It calls for innovative ways of saving farmers from
profiteers. After all adversity is the mother of innovation.
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