With the NSW Farmer of the Year awards cancelled for 2020, The Land and The Farmer look back at the past decade of inspiring winners to see how they've adapted to current times, as well as what the competition has meant to them.
HAVING worked in the glasshouse industry for a lifetime, and being recognised for his efforts with Farmer of the Year, led 2013 winner Godfrey Dol to rethink his future.
"It gave me that extra confidence to push myself further and I began to think about and explore what small legacy I could possibly leave behind," he said.
With this in mind, Mr Dol started his own consulting business, specialising in what he has always done - starting up large glasshouse operations.
"This time I changed the starting point of my plan to satisfy my interest in travel and experiencing new cultures," he said.
To achieve this balance of life, work and travel, Mr Dol approached investors financing new glasshouse projects around the world, with the proposal that he manage their new facilities for a year at a time.
"I felt that to impact any farm, I needed to be there every day. The result is that over the last three years, I have lived in three different countries - the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Kazakhstan.
"Being able to be successful in different cultures has enriched me professionally, but also personally.
"Every day it is a pleasure dealing with staff, managers, and investors who want to learn about their business.
"They recognise me as an expert, and I feel privileged to provide them with my experience, while at the same time becoming intimately acquainted with their culture."
COVID-19 has meant he has not been able to travel back to Australia nor visit his clients in Japan, Mexico, and Iran, but video conferencing has continued to connect him with clients and family, and his success has continued to soar.
Last year, he was asked to be an advisor for a team participating in a prestigious challenge organised by the University of Wageningen, Netherlands.
The contest provided six teams with a tomato glasshouse that had to be managed remotely, without ever entering the glasshouse.
The teams were scored on profitability, sustainability, and the quality of the artificial intelligence.
"During the challenge, COVID-19 emerged, highlighting the need for this type of service, and my team won all three aspects of the challenge," he said, with pride.
Also read:
