This is a YouTube video titled "John Deere Africa | Zabion de Wee discusses the John Deere S.M.A.R.T Model" created on May 14, 2021. It features a discussion hosted by Batemele Mugudwani with guest Xavier de Vere from John Deere, focusing on the SMART model designed to support small-scale farmers with tailored agricultural machinery and solutions. The conversation covers the components of the SMART acronym and how John Deere customizes equipment to meet farmers' needs in Africa.
Welcome to African Farming. My name is Batemele Mugudwani. Today we're going to be talking about a model or an offering that John Deere has for small scale farmers and that is called smart. In studio with us we have Xavier de Vere from John Deere to talk more about this. Zabian, welcome.
Thank you. Toby Zebien.
Before we talk about the issue or the model that John Deere has to offer farmers, let's talk more about you. Tell me more about yourself. I heard that you're a farmer.
Yes, Tabi. I'm considering myself also a new era farmer. I've been farming for this last year, two years basically. So this SMART model I can actually relate to on a personal level because I see the struggles out there. I understand it. And as an agricultural advisor and a person in the professional agricultural space, I came from both sides. I can see how we can help the farmer with this. And also how this system works will help me to become a better farmer.
Now I understand that SMART is actually an acronym. So what does SMART stand for and what does it really entail?
Yeah, SMART is a system that John Deere created. It actually started back in Kenya where they realized that they need to find a model that will help the farmers because the current model that is out there for commercial farmers doesn't necessarily work for our new era farmers. So, so what they went and do then is they created this system called smart, which basically stands for solutions, mechanization, access to finance and reliability and training and technology.
Xavian, let's talk about the S in SMART or the solutions. Now what solutions does John Deere have for farmers like yourself?
What John Deere Solutions is all about is John Deere is looking for a tailor made product for the farmer. So if we look at the tractors, you can't give a farmer an 8 series tractor which is too big for his enterprise when he plants 200 hectares. So John Deere goes out with a team of experts and say, you only need for now a 5 Series tractor. Then we make sure that we give you the best tractor for what you need. And the specs on the tractor is tailor made for your farm.
Now hold on, Xebeen. I know that a tractor is very important on a farm, but it's not the only thing that you need to farm with.
Now that's exactly why. So now you started with your tractor, you have the right tractor, but then we also make sure that the equipment that you need behind the tractor is also fitted for the tractor. Because now you need your ripper, you need your offset and then you need your planter. But you can't just go take any ripper to put on a 5 Series tractor. It's either you're gonna lose on your fuel consumption or you're gonna break the tractor because now the kilowatts can't match it. So we make sure that now we match the, the tractor with the implements behind it.
And speaking of implements, what are the key implements that one needs to farm?
That's why I say we do all things tailor made. It depends on your area. Like in the free state where I come from, you need your ripper, you need to rip deep on a regular basis, you need your offset and then you need your planter behind your tractor. So we're going to look at does this implement fit on the tractor that you have and tractor that you basically need? So that's, that's what we would say is the key implements.
Now however, we've been talking a lot about implements and machinery for grain farmers. But what about other farmers, like livestock farmers?
Yeah, you know, that's the beauty of having the right tractor because now we can cater for those needs. Also like for example, if you now you have to have a for the plan for your whole year. So in some places you have to now harvest the grass and then you bale it. So then we look at what tractor you have and then we connect you with the right baler so that now you have a proper feed plan for the year. And then also now it adds value to your farm. So when you're not using your tractor for planting and harvesting, you can use it to prepare the for the, for the flow plan for the year on your farm.
Savion, thanks a lot for your time.
It's a pleasure.
Keep the conversation going. AfricanFarming or AfricanFarming.com is where you need to go to do this. And remember, we farm better together.
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