NETWORK NEWS
RI New Zealand finds the Farmer of the Decade
Global know-how
very year, RI New Zealand and the Lincoln University Foundation hold
the Farmer of the Year award. Located in Canterbury, Lincoln is the
agricultural university for New Zealand's South Island. The competition is
open to all farmers in the South Island, with a different aspect of the rural
sector spotlighted each time. This year is special as the award is for Farmer of
the Decade. Part of the competition is a day when finalists must present their
business philosophy, including structure, management and profitability. RI
New Zealand contributes to study grants for the top three finalists. In addi-
tion, Rabobank staff form part of the competition committee and judging
panel, as well as providing organizational assistance and support. Michael
Flales, Marketing Manager says, 'This sponsorship fits perfectly with our pro
motion of farming excellence. It also enables us to increase our network and
strengthen existing relationships with top quality farmers.' The competition is
an excellent opportunity for knowledge sharing. Hales says, 'Our knowledge
of the various sectors has improved as a direct result of our involvement, as
has the perception of Rabobank and our knowledge strategy.
For nine years running, RI's Food and Agribusiness Research (FAR) department has
been a leader on the global conference scene, both as organizers of their own
annual conference, and as visiting speakers at 'third party' events world-wide, from
Bangkok to Sao Paulo. Maarten van den Bergh, Global Conference Manager, explains,
'With a majority of our clients concentrated in Food and Agribusiness (F&A), the
most effective way to position ourselves as the number one bank in this industry is to
have our FAR specialists present their knowledge at conferences all over the world.
Conferences help communicate that we have what other banks don't: authentic experi-
ence specific to the F&A sector.With some 20 industry specialists tracking and
reporting on world markets from Utrecht and another 20 experts situated at the heart
of their respective markets, the FAR team is able to ensure that RI is only associated
with the most prestigious conferences and events. The recent Growtech Eurasia held in
Antalya, Turkey, where Rabobank attracted much attention as the only financial
institution present, is a good example. Sponsoring amounts can range from €1,000 to
€.10,000, depending on the stature and commercial relevance of the event.
Planning is now underway for RI's Global Grains Conference, scheduled to take place
in Barcelona this November. Based on the FAR team's advice and input from local
offices, this year's conference will focus on grains and grain-based products. Van den
Bergh explains, 'In each of our Global Conferences, we tackle issues affecting the
whole value chain, from production and processing to consumption. As usual, this
conference will put us in contact with the major industry players, many of whom will
be appearing in our speakers program.'
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