Farmer's dilemma

The success of innovation marketing lies in the ability to understand what job a product does for its customer and successfully serve those needs. That ability normally means higher profits than selling the actual resources it takes to produce the product.

Except when it comes to oil.

The oil producing countries seems to be quite alone in generation of wealth based on its natural resources.

Therefore it's pretty weird why farmers are so inactive in pushing for renewable fuels based on their produce. Basically farmers can offer a whole product range, totally displacing the use of oil:

• Car fuels (biogas, ethanol, RME)
• Heating (wood pellets, biogas and crops)
• Plastics (read about how corn turns into plastic here)

So why aren't farmers fighting to dethrone the Arabic princes?

The only reason I can see is the old dilemma Clayton Christensen once wrote about in his "The innovator's dilemma": They are too tied up in doing their daily business and have invested too much in their current customers (even though it's rather odd as farmers worldwide normally sell to them selves, organized in cooperatives).

Of course there are some interesting companies working there right now (I am working myself with some of them). But I am fascinated about the lack of push from the farmers. - Hey there are people out there creating markets for your products, get it!! And the way to success is already paved:

- Strong public support
- Low entry barriers
- Technology is in place

Go and get rich!