Editorial

Finding the next level: Holism

There's a fork in the road, and education has to make a choice. Young people are fervently waiting for us educators to catch up with them, to empower them and to help them make the future. By offering a holistic way of seeing and being, a regenerative, ecological, life-affirming paradigm can help shape new and energising pathways for a more hopeful, and secure future.

– Stephen Sterling (Emeritus Professor, Plymouth University, U.K.)

The above quote and the ones below have been sourced from Gaia Education: https://www.gaiaeducation.org.

Education is the most important tool in the mission to prepare a new generation of conscious global citizens committed to caring for all forms of life and the health of the planet.

If we want to prepare people to act and transform the harmful systems that are leading us to collapse, we need a new and regenerative approach.

The IEA believes wholeheartedly in the sentiments expressed here and as an organisation we have made inroads in designing, writing and teaching units and courses of study in regenerative agriculture at an Australian University. Refer to the course in Regenerative Agriculture at Southern Cross University.

One university or one course hardly meets the needs of Australian agriculture. There is a need for more courses on ecological (regenerative) agriculture across the breadth and depth of tertiary level agricultural education in Australia. A significant issue in introducing this form of learning is that it involves an engagement with holism in the form of holistic science, and it is near impossible for an academic trained as a conventional scientist to make room in their knowledge base for something as contradictory (to them) as holism. And yet in the case of most dualistic binary couples (reductionist science versus holistic science) it is possible for the two terms to forge a link and to support each other. Like most conflicts the answer lies in creating a win/win outcome and in this context the Institute would gladly provide some strategies for enabling this to happen.

What is being referred to here is a holistic approach to learning and, in that respect, there is no better communicator on this issue than physicist and author Fritjof Capra. His book The Systems View of Life takes the reader on a journey into mechanistic science and from there into holistic science. From that vantage point he discusses ecological thinking, holarchy, self-organisation and spirituality, to name a few concepts. He doesn’t refer to regenerative agriculture although virtually all concepts informing holistic science find an expression in regenerative agriculture. Unfortunately, in the world today a lot of the commentary about regenerative agriculture is false and contaminated with concepts that might find a place in the practice of conventional agriculture, but are decidedly out of place in the world of regenerative thinking.

Here is a comment from Capra in an interview he did recently with Nate Hagen who interviews leading thinkers across the globe and does so free of charge. If you are impressed with the interview look up his program online. It is called The Great Simplification: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com.

Capra made the following comment in an interview called The physics of relationships and ecology:

Without a systems lens, the full reality of the human predicament will never be understood. It is only when we adopt this kind of holistic, wide-boundary thinking that we are able to see the complexity and nuance of how the biosphere, geopolitics, economics, energy, and many other systems interplay with and influence one another. But historically, the scientific community didn’t utilize the power of systems thinking until a few groundbreaking individuals advanced and popularized that way of looking at the world.

A view of regenerative agriculture in Nebraska

The regenerative movement continues to gather strength in surprising ways, and this is happening to the alternative approaches such as organics or biodynamics whereby they use the tag regenerative agriculture to unite under its umbrella … and to conventional agriculture and its dependency on approaches which threaten ecosystems and their stability.

The following story is about Nebraska and how a member of the Sustainable Food Trust in the UK assessed Nebraska’s approach to regenerative agriculture. Click the button to read Olivia Boothman’s account of her visit.

Capra’s course on systems thinking based on his book The Systems View of Life

As this edition of the newsletter is largely about education it is worth recommending an educational course that will take you into a new way of thinking, often referred to as systems thinking, although it can also be referred to as ecological thinking. Here is the link to the course which comes highly recommended by the IEA.

The Systems View of Life course is the starting point. Following that Capra Course proposes a second program which enables the skills taught in the initial course to be applied in a group context involving change management.

The passage below describes the new change management course enabling change to happen at the community level.

At the root of humanity's biggest crisis is the perception that we are separate from Nature. If we want to reconnect humanity with the ability to see the interrelatedness that underlies the world we inhabit, the complexity of the current context with its variables requires an integrated and systemic view that allows us to perceive its totality, to perceive wholeness. Maturana and Varela (1984) wrote long ago that humans are collectively creating the world that they are living in, and that if they want to live differently there is a need to change. This leads into changing the substance and processes contained in our mindsets and our practice in context.

This course offers a space in which to do it together, an invitation to create a community of practice that acknowledges the nestedness in alive networks of individuals and their initiatives, and that honours intrinsic mutuality so that we can respond wisely to everyday challenges. It is experiential and practical, a second step after the introductory Capra Course, oriented to unfold in community the acquired knowledge and to land and apply Systems Thinking principles in projects, organisations, networks or contexts.

Speaking of conventional science, the next story is a good example of its value

Here’s a question: have you ever heard of ‘dog vomit slime mold’? Well, you are about to find out about it but in the story is a revelation about nature, how the parts create the whole, and about amoebas. Read on:

It is Spring in Houston, which means that each day the temperature rises and so does the humidity. The bricks of my house sweat. In my yard the damp air condenses on the leaves of the crepe myrtle tree; a shower falls from the branches with the slightest breeze. The dampness has darkened the flower bed, and from the black mulch has emerged what looks like a pile of snotty scrambled eggs in a shade of shocking, bilious yellow. As if someone sneezed on their way to the front door, but what came out was mustard and marshmallow.

The writer identifies this curious specimen as the aethalial state of Fuligo septica, more commonly known as ‘dog vomit slime mold’ or DVSM.

Here’s the link for this fascinating story:

Paraquat herbicide controversy

Paraquat has been in the news of late in terms of its impact on the wider environment. If you missed any of the news the points below will help you make sense of the matter. Perhaps you might then consider sending your opinion to the APVMA – the Australian Pesticide & Veterinary Medicine Authority? We acknowledge the important work of Gene Ethics in monitoring this story.

• Must watch! The ABC Landline story on Paraquat and Parkinson's has raised a storm in conventional farming communities and their political leadership.

• Parkinson's Australia calls for a ban on herbicide paraquat over risk to farmers' health.

• The National Farmers Federation attempts to stop discussion of Paraquat causing Parkinson’s. The chemical has been under APVMA safety review since 1997 and, finally, they propose some pathetically weak regulatory changes.

• The National Farmers Federation statement in response to ABC Landline story on Paraquat.

• APVMA tries to refute ABC stories on the proposed regulatory decision on Paraquat.

• One sip of herbicide containing Paraquat could kill, but some farmers don't want it banned.

Please have your say on Paraquat toxicity and the need for tougher regulations. Submissions to chemicalreview@apvma.gov.au are due by October 29, 2024.

What’s on and what’s to read: IEA general news

Bookshelf: Regenerative Farming and Sustainable Diets

A new book co-edited by Joyce D’Silva and Carol McKenna of Compassion in World Farming, Regenerative Farming and Sustainable Diets explores how transforming the way that we produce and consume food could build a more sustainable future, with contributions from Vandana Shiva, Henry Dimbleby and the Global Farm Metric.

Agroecology Roadshow

The Agroecology Roadshow is a live event travelling along the East coast that will bring people together to share knowledge, connect, and build a stronger movement for agroecology, local food systems and food sovereignty.

Information available here. Tickets available here.

The IEA accreditation program

The IEA accreditation in regenerative agriculture for educators and consultants was developed through action research as part of Dr Ethan Gordon's PhD. The research underlying it has been published in Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems. It is currently a pilot; this means that accreditees can participate in the ongoing co-design of the accreditation as it is refined throughout 2024 and beyond. IEA believes community ownership and collaboration through co-design are central features of the accreditation development. We hope accreditees will have a sense of pride in, and responsibility for, the process and standards of accreditation. For details go here.

IEA Annual General Meeting

Save the date, November 9, for this year’s AGM and member engagement session following the business meeting. The Board is presently reviewing the IEA 2025 strategy and initiatives, and is seeking member input to inform priorities for 2025 activities with a possible field trip woven into the catch-up program. Ensure your IEA membership is up to date to receive an invitation. For more on IEA membership head here.

Rural Aid support

The Rural Aid organisation supports sustainable and resilient agriculture, providing primary producers with funding for impactful education courses. They will reimburse 50% of course costs (up to $1000 per farmer) to encourage future-focused training. Eligible courses must be upcoming, hosted by a registered ABN organisation, and focus on agri-sustainability. This initiative aims to empower farmers, boost farmer resilience, and promote environmentally sound practices in agriculture. Learn more here.

Join the Institute of Ecological Agriculture

If you are interested in joining the Institute, then the pathway to doing so is simple. Just go to https://www.ecoag.org.au/membership and fill out the form.

If you are not sure about joining but would like to receive the Newsletter, go to https://www.ecoag.org.au/news and fill out the form.

If you are not sure about the IEA and need reassuring, best go to our Position Statement and see what it says: https://www.ecoag.org.au/position-statement.

If you are interested in becoming accredited within the framework of ecological or regenerative agriculture, please visit the following: https://www.ecoag.org.au/accreditation.

Sharing the good oil!

The Newsletter needs to circulate through the Australian rural community. It provides a different and important worldview on farming. Help the organisation to grow by circulating it to your friends or to people whom you think would benefit from it!

Editor: Kerry Cochrane
Design & presentation: Tony McKenzie