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We're going behind the scenes to see and understand modern agriculture, because no matter whether you're in it or not, you probably don't know all the pieces to just how incredible, diverse and multi-layered agriculture is. We do this by uncovering the real stories, experiences and voices of modern agriculture.
Oli Le Lievre 0:01
Good day. And welcome back to the humans of agriculture podcast for 2024. Buddy, good to have your back. And I'll tell you, I'm actually so excited. I've spent the first two weeks of this year on the road, catching up with all sorts of people for one for a little project we're doing with the GRDC. And along the way, I've had the chance to meet some very cool people for that. I've also sat down with a couple of people for the humans bag podcast as well, and it's just gonna be a fly, it's going to be good. What I thought I'd do for this first episode was back in July, August of last year, I sat down with Dave from agri master for his podcast, boots off log on. And as I kicked off this year, I'll spend about three and a half 1000 calories in the first two weeks. But I wanted to listen back to this podcast. And yes, it is so uncomfortable listening to yourself in the chat we had with him. Without the 25 minute mark was kind of a really good chat about humans of agriculture and listening back to it. I was talking about things and I was like, Oh, she really liked how I kind of explained that. So I thought to kick off the year, it makes sense, to give a little bit of context, what is humans agriculture? Why did it start and kind of what's that emotional vision of what we hope to achieve? So I hope it doesn't come across too self serving, but it should be pretty interesting. We'd love to hear your feedback. Because this year, got a couple of ideas. And you're gonna hear a whole lot more about that. So let's get into it.
David Edgerton Warbutton 1:32
So in the early days, you've done everything from you've worked as Jackaroo, in your farm in Canada, you've worked in, you know, larger, you know, global, like, you worked at global table, which, you know, in the US, which is part I think food bank, is that right? I think and
Oli Le Lievre 1:48
now. So it is set global table was an event we held here in Melbourne, and it was partnered up with a an event out of Europe, called the Global Food Innovation Summit. So
David Edgerton Warbutton 1:58
all this exposure, right from Jackaroo rings through to that mark as to anything so how did that inform your view of what eventually became what you're doing now? So how did that form your mind around agriculture?
Oli Le Lievre 2:11
It's probably interesting, because I think really, the golden thread between everything has been curiosity, and that eagerness to kind of try and learn and understand. And a lot of it has been self driven. And even with humans of agriculture today, a lot of it is I want to find out or understand or learn an aspect or something about a person or about an industry or whatever it might be. And so I think for me, probably the that's the similarities across all of the businesses. But I think probably starting off it, it has just been that as I had different experiences. So the chance to actually go on farm and experience, okay, well, maybe these are the parts of the job that I really love. These are the parts maybe I didn't enjoy as much. So when it comes to my next step, or the next opportunity, how do I change or evolve into that thing, a big part for me was actually through Marcus Oldham. And now remember, when we went to China, it was 2014. And we'd been on several different tours here in Australia, looking at different elements of the agricultural supply chain. But I've never been immersed into an area with as many people as China with as much innovation and poverty kind of coexisting. And I think what blew my mind in some of those Chinese cities was you had the coexistence of one of the most affluent people in society, but also the poorest and they literally live side by side. And then you look at what are the similarities and things that we can draw out of this, and a lot of it came down to people's involvement in agriculture. And yeah, I think for me that the jobs and opportunities I've pursued have been about, well, how can I understand more about either that pocket of the world or that industry or whatever it might be? Because I'm really just trying to find my way through it as well and work out what it is that really lights me up. And so whether it's been working in ag tech startups and working really hand in hand with farmers to try and address some of their on farm challenges, but then also look at well, what are the ancillary benefits of this as it starts to move through the supply chain that we can provide to others? And then looking at a guy will have a once are mastered that, but I've, I've learned that and I've understood that aspect? How can I go on Learn More? And I think, for me, it's just been really fortunately, just the chance to meet different people be willing to throw my hand up, but also probably not be willing to settle and think, Okay, I'm in this job. It's got great career prospects. If I stick around for five or 10 years, well, then I could be there. It's actually a lot more. What's driving me has been that, that learning and I think that's probably what has really flown into what humans of agriculture is today is really that desire to learn and understand, get curious and ask questions and meet a whole bunch of people while we do that.
David Edgerton Warbutton 4:47
You mentioned when I was listening to at that conference about the you talked about curiosity, but you also talked about vulnerability. So the idea of bound to you to really truly learn Have you talked about the importance of vulnerability? How do you see that? How do you think that really works for you as a person, but also for for humans of torture?
Oli Le Lievre 5:11
Vulnerability is a finding that I'd say for me in a professional sense, I feel comfortable being vulnerable. I think it's probably been my my fallback. In terms of when things get difficult. It's like, okay, well, let's just be career driven. And focus on that. I'd say probably vulnerability wise, personal life is probably harder to be vulnerable. I think that's the the side of things, which really scares the shit out of me when it comes to what I've done professionally. And I guess the experiences that I've had in different businesses, my learning through humans of agriculture, I think it's really just approaching these things by going. Yeah, just being honest. In it, it's probably something which I've been really fortunate to do a couple of different leadership courses, none more so than the Australian royal leadership programme last year, and I think something that really stuck with me through that was, especially in vulnerability, how do you be? How do you be personal when it comes to sharing your experiences, but also not private? And I think it's important to understand the differences of that. And so I think, for me, with vulnerability, like I am putting my heart kind of on my sleeve and going and sharing the different experience, so I'm going through the good, the bad, and I guess the more so is the ones where I'm really just throwing my hands up in the air and being like, actually genuinely don't know. But I think the beauty and I'm sure you learn about it, as well, through having a podcast, the chance to actually talk with people and create a space where you can have that connection with them and chat through these things is going most people actually don't have their shit together. Like, there are CEOs of organisations who are literally in the exact same situation of being like, this is what we're trying to achieve. But how we get there actually don't know. But that I think that's where your little community, whether that's in business, or the people around, you actually become so important, because you're never actually alone and being able to share things and talk openly about it. Well, actually, for me, I think if I'm, if I genuinely, I'm having trouble with something. And I can either sit here and steal him, or I can actually share it and try and address it and then move on with it. And then hopefully from that, you never know, opportunities might come.
David Edgerton Warbutton 7:19
Jenna, what's amazing is that how willing people are to help out if you're willing to listen or learn, isn't that right? You know, I remember when I've had team members come in to Aggramar, Austria and like, for example they're from they're from outside AG, but they really want to get involved. I always say to them, you know, never never pretend that you know, just say, Look, I don't know anything about whatever the farm businesses, everybody wants to tell you about their business, they want to educate you, they want to help you, it's actually phenomenal thing. So they end up with these massive knowledge because everybody wants to share.
Oli Le Lievre 7:59
I completely agree. And I think for me, I feel like a huge imposter that people like, oh, maybe you're in this position where you get to talk on behalf of agriculture. And so I will know like, I just get the chance to ask people questions, and I'm learning for myself through that. I think that's looking at different areas. Like I really regard myself and probably coming back to that career question. Do you don't want to specialise in an area? Or did I kind of want to be a generalist and often people say on for your career, you kind of go General at the beginning, and then choose your specialisation and go down it, but actually kind of regard myself as a generalist. And because I just truly am fascinated by so much in so many different things that for me, yeah, it's looking at, through, I guess, we're passing on stories is actually going well, if someone over here like if I'm chatting with you, David, and you're the expert in, in livestock, then I actually can share what I've learned through your story and how that's actually helped me grow my understanding or shifted my perspective on something, I think that becomes a really powerful way where it's not trying to be an expert and regurgitate something you said, it's actually coming from my perspective, my take, and I think that's where storytelling so incredible, is it allows people to take it, but then actually give their own interpretation of it and be able to pass that on in terms of how that impacted them or what they learned from it.
David Edgerton Warbutton 9:23
A lot of my friends and colleagues go, how do you find time to do this podcast? And I go, Well, it's a bit of a selfish pursuit, really, because I would love having these conversations, even if I didn't record them. So you know, because I just really want to learn from Oli, or from Jack or from you guys. So it is a bit of a selfish hobby. But you know, you got to make sure it provides value to everyone who's taking the time to listen as well. And 100%
Oli Le Lievre 9:48
do we share this secret with everyone yet or not? No. Do we hold on to it for a bit longer?
David Edgerton Warbutton 9:53
Hey, on that let's segue into humans of our culture. So look, you've had these This way this ramp up into agir. So how did humans and nonhumans agriculture has been largely really successful? Now you put a post on social media the day you've hit some big numbers, right? So we'll go, you can explain those numbers. But so let's start at the end. So the numbers now and then how did you get going? What how did this? What do you call it? monoliths stop?
Oli Le Lievre 10:21
Yeah, well, I think for us, we probably like we've definitely been best known for our podcasts, our weekly podcast, which we've been doing, which is really champion in showcasing just the extraordinary people which make up our agriculture sector. And yet, last mile, I think over the last couple of months, we've probably been playing with it a little bit, we've evolved that team, which has allowed us to probably come up with a bit more of a strategy about how do we do what we do in the best way we can and shift that and share that responsibility so we can execute on it. And I think it's been really exciting to see. So in in the month of July, we had 28,000, listens. And that's off the back of in June, where we had 22,000, we kind of looked at going like, oh my god, this is just all the sudden thing, probably before that we're averaging 15 to 16,000. But that uptick to 22 really kicked off. And it was off the back of looking at what are the areas that we want to learn about? So I think one part of that is really an area which you can have an agenda on, but it's going okay, who are the people, which I'm really fascinated by and want to sit down with and chat to find out more about their drivers, their opportunities, their journeys that they've had. And we've been really lucky, I think, just the challenges on the podcast that we only have 50 odd spots a year that we can fill in, there's just so many different people. And so we've had some really awesome talent. But we also on the side of that released a series around something, which I think is incredibly talked about obviously being carbon. So we wanted to come up with a carbon short path series where I sat down and interviewed an expert, who was Professor Richard aircard, from the University of Melbourne and wanted to, from my own, I guess frustrations of there's so much noise in this space, but from having all these conversations with people in art and understand it. And then I guess reference checking out with friends and other people through our community, but also personally going okay, there's actually a huge gap in the understanding of this. So can we take a model which has worked in other areas, which is, let's start a learning journey in a conversation, which is incredibly topical, that isn't overly well understood? Can we chat to an expert and ask some of the really simple and dumb questions, but the ones that people probably wouldn't put their hand up and ask in an integrated, that's, I guess, the endpoint, flipping it back 2019. I was, was I was in between jobs. I just finished up a company called ag live. We were the Ag tech company that was working on the farm management platform as well as supply chain traceability solution. And the part which I knew that really lit me up was looking at the opportunity for agriculture was how do we connect the consumer back into everything that was happening along that supply chain, and inside the farm gate. And what we were doing at that business was built around trying to create data points. And my frustration sitting there was like, well, actually, we need to do it through marketing first, because it's all well and good to have data. But if people that actually have no idea that this is available, or this is the awareness piece, cradle the data you want, but it's actually completely irrelevant, because people actually want to know and connect into this. And so in 2019, quite a, I guess, Crystal moment, I had left my job there with nothing else to go to. And I was over in South Africa. And for me, I think probably Emma and I really want to be more travelled, especially within agricultural lands, because agriculture is the one thing that all 8 billion people on the planet have in common. And it's the one thing which actually people when they're at their most vulnerable, and challenge to actually fall back to. And so South Africa was really interesting that like, as a country, kind of driving through there you, you see extreme poverty. And then as you get into Cape Town, you can literally have shanty towns and mansions next to each other. But it was a conversation we had with a taxi driver. And he was a fellow from Zimbabwe and had chatted about while he was in Cape Town driving a taxi. So he could save up enough money to actually return home and start farming. And it was like, Oh my God. In Australia, the debate at home was about alternative proteins are going to overtake animal proteins, and we're gonna lose all the livestock farmers. I'm exaggerating a little bit did. And I was thinking far out like if we actually just got a little bit of perspective into the conversation or the end of the day, whether people eat plant based proteins or animal based proteins are all supporters and stakeholders of agriculture. And but how can we look at the role that agriculture plays in people's lives? Not just in our little pocket of Australia, which is 26 million people, but actually globally and for me, I think that's where humans have ag start enough. thought, Okay, we boil it down a comb in Australia, we talking facts. And it's like, Oh, if people just knew the facts, they could make decisions. But no one buys off facts and figures, they buy emotion. And you can have all the logic in the world, but bring emotions into it and emotions will prevail every single time. So how do we use what we know works, and actually start to create and share stories, which looks at agriculture through the emotional lens. And I think, for me, that was where the natural fit of storytelling came in. Because if you maybe people in the sector, there's always so many stories that come out of it, there's so much passion that come into it people's faces light up when they start talking about these things. And how can we grab all those amazing things and actually take that to a platform where the everyday person actually becomes our hero. And so, you know, since humans have agriculture was built around the influence model, which has worked across so many other industries when it comes to elevating and platforming people. But instead of having a single person as the influencer, how do we create the platform and in that space, each week, or however often it is we invite someone else in, and the familiarity that the audience gets is through me at this stage coming in, and I see my role is actually helping that person who's coming in to share their story, be comfortable, but my job is just to walk alongside them. Ask them a few questions, which allow them to get comfortable and really share and tap into that emotive piece of why they do what they do and what drives them. And what's the impact that they want to have in their little pocket as well. But what's the impact that they see agriculture having. And so that evolved, I think, on blurting out the whole story, and what happened. In the early days, I was very fearful of activists and throwing my face to it. So I actually tried to keep myself removed from it. And those two reasons, scared of the activism side, but also to I didn't want the platform today about me. But if it comes to trust and connection, we build connection off people. And so I knew that if I was to do it, and I got very gently spurred on by someone and probably developed a little bit of courage. That was actually like a game. If I want to have this impact, which I aspire to be and actually shift these conversations to the benefit of agriculture, for the broader community, but actually try and have it in a way of let's look at what is the opportunity in agriculture in a global sense. And how do we do that? Well, I think for me, I felt passionately enough about it that I needed to jump in, and then the podcast began. I was, I'm sure we can touch on I was a beneficiary of a couple years of lock downs. And, and ultimately, it's kind of just evolved from there.
David Edgerton Warbutton 17:37
So yeah, you're hidden your room for two years interviewing paperwork, literally. Cyber before the podcast now, this is a bit that I'm actually trying to understand. Even when I heard you speak the first time. There was a blog originally. Yeah. And you're, you're an anonymous blogger. Yeah.
Oli Le Lievre 17:54
So Well, when I say blog, it was social media lead. So it was just Instagram, at the handle. Humans have agriculture, and it was about Yeah, profiling and sharing different people's stories, but I didn't really see a need or actually probably a desire for myself to be associated with it. So it did start as trying to champion different people in different personalities within the agriculture sector. And, and do that through written format on social media. Do
David Edgerton Warbutton 18:20
some stories really jump out? I mean, you've interviewed a lot of people. Right? And, and there, are there some topics or people that just grip people, and, you know, really take off.
Oli Le Lievre 18:35
It's funny, like, if there was a secret sauce, I haven't worked that out yet. In terms of stories. I think what it boils down to is, it comes from from me, I actually need to really be present, when it comes to spending that time with that person, I have to really switch on to be able to listen and, and create that space where they feel comfortable, but also to be willing to take it in, in different angles. And I think probably off the back of that then it's also when it when it comes to maybe some of the more topical areas. And we've delved into topics if we want a high level we've got about succession, but we've also talked about suicide, mental health, all these things, which are actually part and parcel of our agricultural communities, which are huge topics to people about child loss, and I think I walked out of that interview room as i How on earth am I like, Why do I have the licence to be able to ask questions on these things? I think a lot of it comes down to asking that permission of people. I think if you look at what's what's the trend in agriculture, I think there's the stories of positions probably don't do so well. What we can do through our storytelling is actually grab someone who's at the grassroots who is just an everyday kind of person, who everyone sees as being ordinary and actually, within these little ordinary people. parts is where we really do find that extraordinary pieces of humanity. And I think, likewise, we can chat with CEOs and business leaders, everyone else. We're not chatting to them at the title, because to be honest, that stuff is aspects of it, which interests me. But I want to know what goes on behind them. And so we have this really incredible piece, I think, where our platform is actually a meeting place where we bring people in positions actually back down to the human level employee and elevate people who might not see themselves as being an authority or actually having a story and going well, actually, let's just come together, have a chat. It's, it's you and I. And the beauty of podcasts or one on one conversation is that, then it's up to the audience. And if they resonate with your story, that's incredible. But at the end of the day, if you feel comfortable sharing it, I'd love to have the chance to chat with you. And we can kind of see where it goes from there.
David Edgerton Warbutton 20:50
I highly agree. My father used to say to me, he says, A, everybody has their own has their story. You know, it doesn't matter whether they're, you know, the president or CEO or, you know, someone who's, you know, picking up your rubbish sit down. Listen, you'd be fascinated. Everyone has a story.
Oli Le Lievre 21:09
Oh, yeah. I couldn't agree more. David, I think it's probably like, we're and I'm guilty of it. We've become in such a rush to do things. And actually, if you slow down and start to observe kind of what's happening around you get that word. I love a curiosity, you get curious about someone and ask them a little bit about them try and find out more about what they're doing, where they're at. What is their story, kind of behind the scenes where we do really fun, the extraordinary there, you
David Edgerton Warbutton 21:34
can just you can nerd out on each other?
Oli Le Lievre 21:36
Oh, yeah.
David Edgerton Warbutton 21:37
Hey, so I would love to know, you know, you got these massive numbers. Now, how many people listen to your first episode?
Oli Le Lievre 21:46
Own? Way back when your way back? When?
David Edgerton Warbutton 21:49
How many? Well, when you got to say 10, or there what was exciting for you? Ah, to
Oli Le Lievre 21:58
be honest, it was probably just that initial rush of having released something. Code, you're testing me on that I'm gonna have to go back. And I actually would, would really love to go back and look at that. I'm just looking at some stats. Okay. Yeah. So I think it maybe took five or six weeks to get to our first 1000 downloads. And then I guess it becomes this little bit of economies of scale, the more episodes you release, the more chance people have to go back and listen to something so yeah, I think maybe the first time I cracked 100 I was like, Oh, my gosh, how good this. And then, yeah, being being able to and how I view it is, for me, I am so privileged to sit in the position to have these conversations with these people. And if that's the only place where it's ever heard, well, then that's kind of enough for me. The fact that other people really resonate with it, and where they resonate with Israel is exciting. And I think while I still I struggled probably a little bit of looking at it from a numbers perspective, because I think if we define our success of the numbers, then it just becomes transactional. But I think probably the only yesterday's episode, we had that person that we interviewed. It's it's the things that we'll never see the impact that will never ever say that actually make these conversations so special. And it's that off the back of him having a chat. Yes, we might have got, I don't know, say 1000 downloads in 24 hours. That's fantastic. But he might have got 567 20 messages, or might even just be one. And one message that actually goes well. Like, how special was that to actually have the opportunity to chat about the things that drive me or, or answer questions in a way that I probably naturally wouldn't throw myself into it. And I think I think the true impact of what humans of agriculture hasn't does will probably never ever know.
David Edgerton Warbutton 23:51
Gear. So it sees people who would normally a listen to, I kept thinking back to your story about the taxi driver in Cape Town, is that normally people like that, you know, they always have a nice amazing story, but not maybe they never get asked for their story do though. So sometimes, do you feel that people are like, okay, is someone interested in my story? Do they want to hear about me? Probably
Oli Le Lievre 24:13
the most common words I get David would be are on not that interesting. Go and find a story somewhere else. And I think I think it's probably like him a humility piece. Maybe it's an Australian thing. Yeah, I think lots of people probably downplay what they've done and what what's driven them. So yeah, I think that's probably just the natural feeling for lots of people. But what I'd encourage others to say is Well, go and have a go get us some questions about some different things. And it's not about trying to, for me, it's not about trying to trip someone up or uncover some really uncomfortable things from their past. It's actually just trying to understand a little bit more about who they are and what drives them then can go from there is
David Edgerton Warbutton 24:54
greatest as far as we get. We get stained by that. When he called tabloid journalism, which is a bit sort of what we do with these podcasts is very different isn't like and I think people feel it's going to be like that, but it's not as so nice wet and we listen to your episodes, it's very comfortable, unscripted
Speaker 1 25:13
and scripted and unscripted is good, you know, because they've had to get a script that never really worked or that
Oli Le Lievre 25:18
doesn't. And I think that's probably what podcast has enabled is it has opened up this incredible way of storytelling. Like I think, if you look at so much of what we do, and and especially in the content world people are, it's a battle for attention of how do you get a person's attention for longer. The amazing thing about podcast is that long form content, you can't really hide behind it, because one, it would be so much work if you did that. But to these conversations really do just kind of evolve. But what happens on kind of the other side, and in people's ears as they're listening to it, like, often, they're inviting you into a place that they really want to have you. And whether that's when they're out for a walk, whether they're sitting in the kitchen, whether it's a quiet time, but the intimacy that's created between two people having a conversation, but then allowing your audience to take that to wherever they want to. It is a really cool thing.
David Edgerton Warbutton 26:11
It's almost voyeuristic, isn't it in a way like, I feel like a lot of the podcasts are like, have that feel about them. And I'll listen to them at the gym or when I'm walking or in the car or whatever. And it feels like I'm eavesdropping on a conversation almost.
Oli Le Lievre 26:25
Yeah. And that was I think the big motivator behind our podcast was we were we were in lockdown over in in Victoria, you guys would know about that? are on your side of the world that I could educate you on that sometimes?
Speaker 1 26:37
No, no, we got we got we had our emperor who locked us in. But
Oli Le Lievre 26:41
I think for me, it was really like, Okay, well, how can I really want to ask these people questions? Or how can I get access to them? To ask them these questions, do it in a way that if I was to have a coffee with them, I'd have to be feeling really confident and comfortable to actually ask them the questions. The microphone gives it in that now we're sharing the secret sauce, the microphone gives you this licence to actually ask these questions that you probably otherwise wouldn't feel overly comfortable with. And you can ask them from a safe perspective in terms of I'm really intrigued about this or something the audience wants to know. This. Yeah, I think they're, they're a pretty special little medium. Very, it
David Edgerton Warbutton 27:20
is actually amazing. So we're from here? What is the global domination for humans of Eric Holder always, without giving away your business secrets, but you know, your just your your emotional vision for this? What do you hope for your baby? In the coming years? Or the coming months?
Oli Le Lievre 27:38
Well, probably a better plan. Not Yeah, to be honest, I probably the part which I really struggle with, is that, I think when it was when it was a passion project, and I was doing it in lockdowns, it was incredibly easy. There was no pressure in in it. If that made sense. There was so much time and space that was created through actually being in that isolation of lock downs. When the opportunity came, and I guess that crossroads came of going, Okay. Does Oli want to be intimate with itself intended? Do I want to be and try and grow a corporate agribusiness career and go down this pathway? Oh, do I really want to try and see where this passion project can go. And, and to me came to a point where actually, the two couldn't coexist, it had to be one or the other because I either wanted to go all in on my career, or I wanted to go all in on and see where this went. And I probably had to, I was really fortunate that I had an amazing leader in the business as in at the top manga, straight beard options plus, and I was able to really candidly chat to him in that and be vulnerable in that sense of going on at this crossroads. And, and I'm chatting in absolutes, like it's, it's one or the other, they can't do it. Because one, I feel like if I was to go and work part time somewhere, then then I'm just not actually going to go all in and see what this thing can do. So the challenge of the moment is that we've we've brought other people in, and it is now how do you how do you build a business that's built on purpose, and do it in a way which you can support livelihoods? Especially in the content game where you're, you're competing with so many other mediums out there? For for us? I think that's probably the challenging thing is how do we continue to commercialise this in a way that doesn't, doesn't compromise the values and the actual why we created it. So that's probably a way of answering where we're going into the future. It's really looking at how do we work with businesses that have similar values to us? We know whether it's retailers that are involved in agriculture, talking about okay, agriculture actually has this incredible story that he needs to share and people are genuinely interested in it. Would I back down to industry bodies, agri businesses, and individual farmers saying, we feel undervalued You'd, because people don't understand what we actually do. So, coming back to that question before, there's a huge need, and there's a desire and a problem that needs to be solved in there. And it's an IRC storytelling as being the natural conduit to that, how do we create human to human connection through stories for that? What that kind of looks like, I guess, for me is, I see agriculture playing such an important role in the world we live in, in terms of how do we, in a global sense, battle, things like obesity, malnutrition, the way we care for the land, the way we move things more efficiently, more sustainably, like everything is kind of coming back at the core of all these big global challenges, you're coming back to the interrelationships that we've got with our agricultural and food sector? And so I think for me, it's how, how do we help facilitate those discussions in a way that isn't driven and often at agenda, it's actually driven off curiosity. And I think for me, if we can stay true to that, and actually go, how do I we as a, as a group, as a team actually looked at understand more and, and create this audience behind us, which is two prong but take the audience on the journey with us, but in a way, which really does champion the agricultural sector, and help people feel seen heard and connected to what is actually happening in what is just such an important part of society? It
David Edgerton Warbutton 31:19
is I go back to your point before, I love that idea that you mentioned before that in when everything goes wrong, people almost retreat back ag don't they like it. So really, how we're all connected. I mean, you look, as you mentioned, your worldview here and bet how connected we are, well, look what's happening in Ukraine, how that affects people in Egypt and China. And you know, like, we're, you know, we're all the same at an agricultural level, aren't we? And we're all sort of interconnected. So I love that vision of how agriculture sort of baselines us all really, doesn't it?
Oli Le Lievre 31:53
Yeah. And I think it just gives us perspective, like when you actually boil things down, what you actually truly need is food, shelter, and connection, and then a couple of other things. But when we look at, I guess, the injustice that can come out of agriculture as well, in a global sense, and yes, things like the war in Ukraine, but it's the little things that don't even make the news here. But the droughts that have happened over East Africa, 10s of 1000s of people, mostly children have actually died this year alone. I would say there'll be very, very few people in Australia that are actually aware of that. When you start to look at the challenges within our food system. You look at the developed world, where there's more than 2 billion people now overweight globally, and you've got 830 million people starving every day. And it's like, okay, well, how do you actually address this? Fundamentally, it comes back to all our food system and agriculture system, to create a more kind of just society. And I think that's the part which that gets really philosophically inspires me because you can, if you want to create meaningful change in the world, you can do it from your little pocket of the world, wherever you might be farming, but connecting people to that, wherever they are. It comes incredibly powerful. Brilliant.
David Edgerton Warbutton 33:03
Now to finish off, man, I want to know a couple of things. When you're not just this, you know, you're a busy man, where do you not need a inagh? How do you how do you like to pass your time? You're a beach guy, you're a snow guy. I Yeah.
Oli Le Lievre 33:21
What do you do for fun?
David Edgerton Warbutton 33:22
What do you do for fun, right? When you're not working the whole time? I
Oli Le Lievre 33:26
got asked that a while ago. And I think that's probably the hard thing in terms of, I just thought I fall out fine. I'm so motivated and inspired by what I do that I really do find it hard to walk away from work, but also know, that's relatively unhealthy. I recently went on a holiday, David and I did not a whole lot. I was up in Noosa, catching up with friends, getting by the beach reading book. Being active, like I do, enjoy getting out and doing things whether it's riding a road or mountain bike, better swimming. I love to go to the gym pretty well. I try and go every day. And do group exercise. Obviously. Not much for one for solitude. Yeah, I'd say a totally for fun at the moment. And where I want to get to is spending more time with family and friends. Because yeah, I probably have sacrificed that a little bit.
David Edgerton Warbutton 34:15
We do with passion project. And the last one might is I asked this of everyone because in you're probably the best person to answer this question. Because you spend so much about and better perspective, but the myths I love agriculture, you know, as a storyteller, you'd know there's so many myths around ag and what do you reckon one of the most prevailing myths that you come across, you know, from people outside of ag if that's a thing looking in? Go it looks like this or if it is like this, that that is just clearly wrong or misunderstood, do you think?
Oli Le Lievre 34:51
Well, I was recently reading a report actually, I've written down the stack because I actually recognise myth comes from within agriculture, but it's how we look at ourselves. And it was from The Norco report, which was looking at the state of farmer mental health and wellbeing in Australia was I think, released in March or April this year. And was that 76% of farmers who are representative sample 76% of farmers believe that the role they play is undervalued by society. And I actually think that's a myth because I think society really do value farmers. They're just not having the opportunity to draw those connections. And, and I think a lot of that comes from, yeah, I guess, in agriculture, we're creating this myth and assumption that people don't value what actually happened. There
David Edgerton Warbutton 35:33
you go, it's a good place to finish. So thanks very much. Right. And I really enjoyed our chat. And all the best for the future. My Oh, before I go, I gotta say, so how to get pet hat. So how do people get ahold of you? You know, humans of agriculture? Where do they find us? Or how do they nerd out on all things? Human leg culture? Where do they go? Boy, you
Oli Le Lievre 35:54
can go anywhere. Now. Instagram, I guess is a key platform for us. We're just at humans of agriculture with an underscore our website humans of agriculture.com, or reach me directly, hello, or Ollie that probably says hello at humans of agriculture.com. And that will come through to us and we'd love to chat to anyone who has a story and interest or wants to kind of chat more about what we've talked about. Ronnie.
Unknown Speaker 36:18
Right. Well, thanks very much.
Oli Le Lievre 36:20
We'll miss. Thanks, David. Well, that's it for another episode from us here at humans of agriculture. We hope you're enjoying these podcasts. And well, if you're not, let us know. Hit us up at Hello at humans of agriculture.com. Get in touch with any guests recommendations topics, or things you'd like us to talk and get curious about. If you enjoyed this episode, please share it with a friend. Right subscribe, review it. Any feedback is absolutely awesome. And we really do welcome it. So look after yourselves. Stay safe. stay sane. We'll see you next time.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai