Dov Pasternak, the father of Farmers of the Future, died on Friday, April 27, 2018 in Israel. His passing is a huge loss for Eliminate Poverty NOW, for Pencils for Kids, for Africa and the world.
Dov was a visionary, teacher, mentor, inspirational leader and friend. So much of our philosophy and approach to agricultural development comes directly from him. He devoted his life to growing crops in the most challenging places and teaching farmers to make a good living from their sweat and toil. Dov taught us that every obstacle is an opportunity to learn, that every problem has at least 3 solutions, that with patience and perseverance almost anything is possible, and most importantly, “to never, ever give up!”
Dov was passionate, intense, and held strong opinions about things he believed in. He wanted things done right and done quickly so that progress could be made. He was also warm-hearted, funny, humble to a fault, an excellent listener, quick to forgive, and quick to change his mind when something else made more sense. He was wise beyond words and a delight to work with.
In the last year Dov was given a lifetime achievement award for his impact on the lives of people in Africa. His work has benefited hundreds of thousands. He has been, and will always be, a role model for how to make a real difference in this world. To say he will be sorely missed does not begin to capture the loss we feel.
Dov viewed Farmers of the Future as the culmination of his 50+ years of work in agricultural development. We are committed to ensure his dream of transforming agricultural practice in Africa is realized. We will never, ever give up!
Poster that hung in Dov's office - the motto he lived by