A very important event for the Biodynamic movement will take place this month!
From 21-23 October, the Asia Pacific Biodynamic Conference will be held in Malaysia. This will be the first gathering of its kind in the region and represents an opportunity for members of all biodynamic impulses in the region to come together to connect, share experiences and develop networks of mutual learning and collaboration. Participants from more than 15 countries throughout the region have already registered to join the conference.
The conference will be a key activity within our broader commitment to support the growth and development of biodynamics in new and emerging regions around the world. In this search to build empowered and resilient local communities, the conference has been organized in a participatory way, valuing, and respecting local knowledge, energies and capacities. The event program reflects the voices and aspirations of many BD trainers and practitioners actively involved in the local biodynamic movement.
We are grateful for all those who have made this important event possible and for all the solidarity and dedication of so many people. A special thank you to all our friends from Malaysian Demeter Association for the work to host the event and to all those who individually donated to financially support this event from around the world. The highlights and insights of the conference will be shared with all of you in the upcoming newsletter.
Paz Bernaschina, Coordinator of the Asia Pacific Biodynamic Conference 2022 for the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International
Asia Pacific Biodynamic Conference 2022 October 21 -23, 2022
The Biodynamic Federation Demeter International and the Section for Agriculture at the Goetheanum invite you to the2022 Asia Pacific Biodynamic Conference held from October 21 to 23 in Raub Pahang, Malaysia.
To register to attend the conference, follow this link. Please note that since the August 1st,all travellers are allowed to enter Malaysia, regardless of their COVID-19 vaccination status.
Donation Campaign Support biodynamic farmers to attend the Asia Pacific Conference
We call on all our biodynamic member organisations and friends across the globe to help support young Asian biodynamic farmers. Our commitment is to make this conference as inclusive and representative of the different biodynamic initiatives in the region as possible.
However, there are many biodynamic farmers across Asia who, for financial reasons, will struggle to attend the conference. Farmers from countries such as Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Indonesia, Philippines and India need financial support to attend the conference.
Could you support a biodynamic farmer to attend the Conference?
All donations are welcome, however small or large! You can donate through a direct bank transfer to the Malaysia Demeter Association (MDA) (details below) or through PayPal. Donations in Euro, dollars or local currency are possible.
Bank Transfer:
Bank Name: CIMB Bank; Name: Persatuan Demeter Malaysia (MDA); Account No: 8010182250; Swift code: CIBBMYKL
This is a call for solidarity and awareness of the challenges and needs faced by the biodynamic movement as it grows in new and diverse regions of the world. Thank you for your support!
For more information about this donation campaign, please contact Paz Bernaschina at: paz.bernaschina@demeter.net.
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The story of Raub – 'The Raub Gold Mine' the host of the Asian Pacific Biodynamic Conference 2022
Eldorado
'The new Eldorado' or 'The Eldorado of Malaya'. That’s what the small town of Raub was known as in the late 1800s after the discovery of gold fields. The depletion of gold marked the end of the golden era. Today, Raub has entered a new golden era. It is now world renowned for the “yellow edible gold;” the durian.
Durian, the king of fruits
Love it or hate it, spiky durian is one of the most profitable fruits for farmers. Today, Raub is known as the “durian Musang King capital of Malaysia.” To many, the spiky durian is regarded as having a pleasant, sweet fragrance; to others, the smell is revolting. Its odour led to its banishment from hotels and public transportation. Raub’s unique locality of hilly mountains and cool weather is suitable for durian planting. For durian aficionados, Musang King is undisputedly the crown jewel out of the 200 cultivars. The Musang King with its “aromatic, bright golden yellow thick flesh, small core and melt-in-mouth marvellous levelling of taste sensory", will give you an unforgettable experience.
Biodynamic and durians
Most durian farmers practice conventional chemical farming. Organic farming is a rarity and is practised by very few. Chemical fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides are used extensively for fruit protection. Chemical-laced fruits inevitably result in health issues. The widespread clearing of land for planting durian is exacting a heavy toll on the environment. Widespread use of chemical “cocktails” is causing serious erosion, soil degradation, air( burning) and water pollution from washouts to rivers.
The stars once spoke to man. It is world destiny that they are silent now To be aware of this silence can become pain for earthly man
Rudolf Steiner, the spiritual scientist, in his wisdom foresaw this tragic phenomenon a hundred years ago. Today’s modern farming is so disconnected from the natural rules of the universe. In pursuit of material gains, man is paying a very heavy price. Our soil is dying. The foundation that sustains life is dying. The pain for earthly man. But all is not lost.
But in the deepening silence, there grows and ripens what man speaks to the stars. To be aware of that speaking can become strength for Spirit man.
The biodynamic impulse that takes root in Malaysia is fast spreading to provide an alternative to durian farming in Raub.
The three biodynamic brothers of Raub
The three durian farmers are Thomas Yam, Yap Ming Yeow and Wing Chan. Thomas Yam first experienced the magic of biodynamics more than 15 years ago in 2007 when he stayed at a biodynamic farm in Munich. Today, Thomas is the project leader for the PGS program for the Biodynamic Durian Group. Ru Farm (如园) is another durian farm which was taken over by Wing Chan from his father. Originally farmed conventionally, the farm was converted to organic and subsequently, biodynamic. Yap Ming Yeow’s Siamm Farm (闲坊) is another organic durian farm with mature old durian trees of more than 50 years of age. These are the pioneers that are operating durian farms in a biodynamic way.
Raub, the Home of the Malaysia Demeter Association (MDA)
The biodynamic training centre is located at Fay Farm, where regular BD workshops/ seminars and annual prep making take place (Fay Farm, RU Farm and Siamm Farm are venues for the upcoming Asian Pacific Biodynamic Conference 2022). We look forward to welcoming all to Raub, Malaysia! “Selamat Datang”!
Dr Yap Kim Fay & Susan Siah for the MDA
Global Research on Biodynamic Preparations Share your work and experiences!
It is almost 100 years since Rudolf Steiner’s initial biodynamic impulse. The changing global socio-ecological context, as well as the growing presence of biodynamics in emerging regions, have brought new challenges for the development of the biodynamic preparations. Currently, there is a limited understanding and acknowledgement of how the different climatic zones and socio-cultural contexts around the world have influenced the work with biodynamic preparations, and the development of the biodynamic movement in different regions. What are the main challenges and needs of prep makers around the world? What kind of adaptations or innovations have they implemented in response to their local reality? What have these experiences been like and what can we learn from them?
In response to these questions, this year the Federation has been conducting a global research study on biodynamic preparations. We have been listening to, and seeking to understand the experiences of, prep makers, biodynamic farmers, BD researchers and/or BD advisors from every country with a known biodynamic impulse.
Some of the hoped-for outcomes of this study are a comprehensive list of the preparations/ingredients that are most urgently in need of local alternatives around the world, as well as a collection of initial experiences and observations on the use of alternatives ingredients or preparations. It is also expected that this study will identify and discuss possible ways forward for the biodynamic movement to continue to grow and develop in accordance with the different climatic and socio-cultural realities around the world. The results of this project will inform the Federation’s long-term strategy on research and training.
Would you like to be part of this global research study?
If you would like to share your experiences and visions on work with the biodynamic preparations in your regions, it's not too late to contribute to the research. Please contact Andrea D’ Angelo at titadangelo@hotmail.com or Paz Bernaschina at: paz.bernaschina@demeter.net. We can either coordinate an interview via zoom (1 hour) or we can forward you the main questions of the research through a questionnaire that you can fill in at your own time.
We welcome all those with an interest in biodynamic preparations to join this study!
Train-the-Trainers Meeting Save the Dates!
In the search to strengthen regional training initiatives, this year the “Biodynamic Trainer and Teacher Conference 2022” will take place in four different regions of the world. Local training workshops will be held in Latin America (6-7 December, Peru), Africa (18-23 October, Zimbabwe), Asia (21-23 October, Malaysia) and Europe (18-19 November, Dornach). To continue to build stronger networks of collaboration and learning among biodynamic trainers globally, these four training impulses are linked through a common vision of “learning biodynamics as a path of transformation”.
A further four 2-hour online Train-the-Trainer meetings will be held after each regional Training workshop. A team of BD trainers from each region will share the main insights and learnings of their local training workshop to the wider international community of biodynamic trainers, addressing the leading questions such as: How can biodynamic trainers encourage meaningful learning processes in different contexts of the world? How do we learn from local knowledge and different learning approaches? What is useful for the whole training community?
We warmly invite all the biodynamic trainers and teachers worldwide to participate. If you need more information on the online train-the-trainers meetings or the local training workshops please contact Sarah Sommer at:sarah.sommer@goetheanum.chor Paz Bernaschina at: paz.bernaschina@demeter.net.
Communication
Social Media and Communication: New Trends! Save the dates for our Workshops in English and Spanish
We want to invite you all to our workshop about 'Social Media and Communication: New trends'! Social media is part of our reality, wether we like it or not. If we think of it from a useful perspective, it helps us connect in a very direct and easy way with people we would have never been able to reach. In this way, we would like to introduce you to the different social media channels and to provide you with insights on how easy and rewarding sharing content and connecting with your community can be.
In this workshop we will be looking at these different points:
Professional approach of LinkedIn, political focus of Twitter, and the entertainment-based-network of TikTok
Activity growth on our social media Look out for our posts!
The Federation created a LinkedIn account where we will share more professional-related posts. We invite you to connect with us there if you have a LinkedIn account!
Our Facebook page gained reached along September and was visited three times more than in the previous month. We held a Facebook Livestream event talking about new GMOs with Claire Robinson and are planning new lives with different personalities.
Our Instagram profile also increased its reach by 50% and most of these views turned into new followers. As a result we gained 200 followers in one month! The focus on Instagram is to convert content into video format, as the platform is giving preference to audiovisual content rather than just visual. If you have any videos you think could be used for the social media, don’t hesitate to share them with us (preferred vertical format 9:16)!
Whereas on Facebook the aim is to post more regularly, including Facebook groups. If you are part of any Facebook groups that you think would be interested for the Federation, let us know!
For further information, content request or any other inquieres, please contact Irene at: assistant.eu@demeter.net.
Policy and Public Relations
Let's Liberate Diversity! Forum Workshop on new GMOs organised by the Federation
From 27th to 29th October, the European Coordination Let's Liberate Diversity and Magház, the Hungarian Seed Savers Association, invite you to participate in a three-day forum to meet, exchange and learn together about crop diversity and dynamic seed management. The forum will take place in the city of Budapest in Hungary.
The European Coordination Let’s Liberate Diversity! (EC-LLD) is an international non-profit organisation created in 2012 with the main aim to encourage, develop and promote the dynamic management of cultivated biodiversity on farms and gardens. Their 19 members share the same concern about our food systems being too uniform, and work to support biodiversity as key to achieve food sovereignty. Each year EC-LLD organises a forum to offer a platform to promote exchange and share experience among various stakeholders.
This year, the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International has been invited to offer a workshop on the potential deregulation of new GMOs at European level and its implications for the seed sector. The workshop will take place on Friday, October 28, in the morning and will be organised by Clara Behr, the Head of Policy and Public Relations. Several other political workshops will take place on various topics related to seeds, such as agrobiodiversity, patents and food sovereignty.
318, 000 signatures collected, and one more month to go! With this petition we call on EU decision makers to keep new GMOs strictly regulated and labelled, meaning to uphold the mandatory safety checks, transparency and labelling for all GMOs on the market. This is crucial to guarantee GMO-free farming in the future and to know what is in our fields and on our plates.
The petition is running until November 5th and the signatures will be handed over to EU decision makers in an event in Brussels on December 8th-9th. More on that in our November newsletter edition.
Don't hesitate to spread and share the petition around you - all the signatures count to make our voice heard! Please note that the petition is open to everybody; citizens outside the European Union can sign and share the message.
To learn more about new GMOs – what they are and the risks and threats they come with – please have a look at our leaflet.
If you are interested to participate and support the petition, please contact Clara Behr at:clara.behr@demeter.net.
Viticulture
ProWein 2023 – International Tasting Area Düsseldorf, Germany, March 19th to 21st, 2023
At ProWein 2023 Demeter Germany will be organizing once more an international tasting area within the Demeter booth, and expecting a lot of interested trade visitors. Certified Demeter wines can be registered for the tasting area using theregistration form.
Registration is open now and will be closed December 31, 2022. We’re looking forward to presenting a colourful and exciting Demeter wine selection at the Demeter booth!
If you have any questions regarding your participation at the wine fair, please get in touch with Simone Heim at: simone.heim@demeter.de.
Demeter Wine Days – Save the Date! Vienna, February 25to 27, 2023
Demeter Austria has put together a top-class program and invites all winegrowers, wine merchants and, of course, interested farmers to shed light on the topic of biodiversity from different perspectives. Find more information on the agenda here (also available in German here). The registration for the lecture and excursion programme will be opened soon.
Attention: Exhibitor registration is open now! Demeter winegrowers worldwide are invited to register for the wine fair to be held on February 27, 2023. This is an opportunity for Demeter vineyards to show their wines to an interested audience in the extraordinary ambience of Vienna's Museumsquartier. As places are limited, register now! Deadline is October 31, 2022. Registrations will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. Please use the registration form.
If you have any questions regarding your participation at the wine fair, please get in touch with Julie-Ann Hoch at:julie@purejoybotanicals.farm.
12th International Seminar on Biodynamic Viticulture - Argentina Mendoza, 17th - 19th November
Fundación Demeter Argentina had the initiative, back in 2011, to bring together the biodynamic wine producers of Argentina in a workshop that would allow them to unify their efforts towards a better application of biodynamic agriculture. The first seminar took place in Mendoza, Argentina and the basis for a fruitful joint work was defined, evolving together in their way of applying biodynamics in their vineyards and in their wines.
The group of participating wineries became the current Vinodinámicos Group and at the same time, the Chilean Biodynamic Wineries joined the seminar, forming a group which now is called Viñas Biodinámicas de Chile (Biodynamic Wineries of Chile). Both groups took on the responsibility of continuing with the annual execution of International Meeting of Biodynamic Viticulture, which this year will proudly present its 12th version, executed in an uninterrupted way.
Over the past 11 years, specialists from various areas of biodynamic viticulture worldwide have been present, both physically and online, to nurture the participants with knowledge of the various aspects of the biodynamic method. This year the Seminar will focus on discovering the most intrinsic aspects of soil fertility and for this purpose we have convened specialist speakers with international experience.
Interested parties are invited to contact the organising group, Vinodinámicos (Argentina) at: vinodinamicos@gmail.com. The Seminar will take place at Bodegas Krontiras.
News from the Section
Healthy and Sustainable Food Translation in Italian now available
More and more food is being produced industrially. Though it may contain all the necessary nutrients, can it be healthy if the producers have to use increasing quantities of fertilisers, pesticides and additives to grow and process it? Do we consider the cow that supplies our milk as a factor of production or as a living creature with a soul and feelings? Our attitude towards nature, the plants and animals, has a direct effect on our own lives.
The quality and origin of our food are important, but so is enjoyment. Guests can taste when we have cooked with love. Besides eating, nutrition is also sense perception. A delicious meal tastefully arranged on the plate conveys appreciation of the guest and the food. This raises the question of whether the ingredients alone really provide adequate nutrition.
The vitality of food and how it comes about are the subject of the book by Jasmin Peschke "Vom Acker auf den Teller.Was Lebensmittel wirklich gesund macht" (From field to plate: what really makes food healthy), that has now been translated into Italian under the title: "Cibo vitale – Nutrire l’uomo per rigenerare la terra". Editrice Antroposofica 2022, ISBN 9788877876874
Further information on the book and on nutritional topics in general is available on our website.
Awaken to Nutrition – be your own nutritionist
Online course with Dr. Jasmin Peschke and Dr. Joean Oon Siew Kee
If you are concerned about healthy eating and the high quality of ingredients, this course is for you. Through impulse contributions, in-depth discussions and various exercises, suggestions will be given to experience quality and to develop your own nutritional competence.
Following the successful implementation of this online course as part of our "Deepen Biodynamics" course programme, it is now being held a second time, organised by the Kongsi Academy in Malaysia. The course languages are Mandarin and English.
2nd International Conference on Biodynamic Agriculture Southeast Europe, November 2022
The second international conference on biodynamic agriculture will take place in Donji Kraljevec, Croatia – Rudolf Steiner's birthplace – from 3 to 4 November 2022. This is followed by a course on farm conversion to biodynamic agriculture from 5 to 6 November 2022. Register now!
For further information and registration, have a look at ourwebsite.
News from Member Organisations
China
Demeter Certification Lecture by Sundeep Kamath
This year, China has at least three farms which are planning to get Demeter certification, but we have no Demeter advisor domestically. The former advisor whom Demeter China Association(DCA) used to work with is not available for the time being, therefore, DCA invited Sundeep Kamath to guide these farms. We are very glad to start this new cooperation with him.
The first move is to introduce again to both new and old biodynamic farmers about the process of getting Demeter Certification. So we organized a zoom lecture given by Sundeep on 16th September. Around 50 people registered for the lecture; among them there were biodynamic farmers, processors, and other organic farming practitioner, as well as interested consumers.
In the lecture, Sundeep introduced the 7 principles advocated by biodynamics, and the certifying processes for different cases. Then followed was the Q&A session, with many questions risen out of China’s specific situations, which extended the whole lecture to nearly 2 hours.
It is great to see that the lecture was both nourishing and satisfying for all parties in this event. As DCA is planning to have a close and long-term cooperation with Sundeep, more and more new Demeter farms can be expected in China in the near future.
What’s more, next month on October 11-13, the annual workshop on preparations will be held in one of our Demeter farms. We will gather together physically in the beautiful herb garden by the Er Lake of Dali county, Yunnan province, south of China.
France
Wine Paris 2023 Registration open now!
For the first time, Demeter France propose to all Demeter wineries to join the Demeter’s collective international booth for the next edition of the Wine Paris exhibition, which will be held from 13 to 15 February 2023 at the Porte de Versailles in Paris.
Conditions to participate:
- To be certified Demeter
- To only feature Demeter certified wines or wines made from Demeter grapes
Road to celebrity Orsogna Cellar receives the prestigious Legambiente prize
For 30 years Legambiente has been rewarding the best eco-friendly product for its diligence in biodynamics. In Italian ambiente means environment, thus Legambiente is the League for the Environment. This year Legambiente has awarded Orsogna, a rural cooperative, its 13th prize, for its Demeter sparkling white wine: Pecorino. In the picture above you can see Mr Camillo Zulli, the winemaker creator of Pecorino spumante wine (made without added sugar, and without sulphites) receiving the prize.
A little bit of geography
The wine and oil cellar ORSOGNA was established in Abruzzo, in Southern Italy, in the district of Orsogna (Chieti) on the former Gustav line. The province of Chieti extends from the Adriatic sea to high mountains like Gran Sasso (2912 m). The landscape is unpolluted and the panorama is majestic.
Agriculture and sheep farming are the main activities of the population. Today the three municipalities of Orsogna, Guardiagrele, Ariele live on organic olive growing and organic viticulture. The choice of the biodynamic method has been made by people, not by individuals.
A little bit of history
In 1943 Orsogna was subject to the passage of the war between the Allies and Germans: the bombing destroyed all the buildings. When the war ended people took off again from hearth pruning secular olive trees and ploughing lands for growing vines. In 1964 thirteen farmers of Orsogna founded a cooperative to press their olives together and to make wine together. The growth was rapid: in 1978 the members of the wine-oil-cellar of Orsogna were over 70. In 2022, they are 450, all organic!
A little bit of economy
In 2022 the harvest of ripe grapes is completely organic. The biodynamic associates are one hundred: eighty with the full Demeter trademark, and twenty in conversion to Demeter.
The certified Demeter hectares are 500; the organic-only ones are more than 1000. Local vines cultivated here are: Montepulciano, Trebbiano, Pecorino, Primitivo and Moscato. The production with the closed cycle is put into effect, including preparing miles of cubic meters of biodynamic compost; using a lot of preps. The average age of the Orsogna farmer is lower than 40 years. So the excitement is great in Orsogna’s wine-oil-cellar.
Transhumance is also still practiced: 1100 organic sheep of the local Sopravissana breed are brought up in to the mountain pastures for 11 months of the year.
Oil and wine are the specialties of the Orsogna cellar. Its priority is the optimisation of the fragrance and flavours of aromatic grapes. The principal markets reached by Orsogna are Germany, the United States of America, Belgium, Switzerland, China, and France. Orsogna cellar cooperates with the community of kids with Downs Syndrome of the municipality of Orsogna. In fact, the label creation is entrusted to them, through a drawing competition. For each bottle of wine sold, the local Downs kids community will receive a percentage of the money.
Spain
Meeting of producers, consumers, advisors and distributors from Spain and Germany Biofach, July 2022
Professionals from the German and Spanish biodynamic agri-food sector met on 27 July during the Biofach fair in Nuremberg. The event was held in German and Spanish and was a first contact to share and understand the needs and constraints the different actors (producers, marketers, certifiers, advisors, consumers, etc.) have to deal with, as well as to glimpse opportunities on how to strengthen the sector, build more direct and transparent relationships and raise awareness about biodynamics in the food market, especially in the context of the European strategies favourable for organic farming (the Green Deal and the Farm-to-Fork strategy).
The pivotal question of the meeting was: How can advisors contribute to a development of the biodynamic impulse in Germany and Spain? Here we summarise some of the ideas and conclusions that emerged from the discussion.
It is important to allocate more time to the exchange of (technical) information and experiences between professionals of the same kind (between farmers, between advisors, etc.) as well as the sharing of information at a transversal level (advisor-certifying body, farmer-consumer, etc.).
The demand for certified products that do not yet exist, or only in small quantities, often puts pressure on traders and producers to make them available. This means that market needs, and the Demeter conversion process do not always go hand in hand. These problems of dissonance between the producer and his practices and the interest for certification may be related to the hyper-specialisation of agriculture in some countries, where the political and socio-economic context fosters big monocultures. The advisor could intervene at this point and guide the farmer towards rotation and diversification practices, for example. However, the advisor's room for action is often limited in situations where producers and distributors face fierce competition and ultra-competitive prices.
Discussion was held on what it actually means to promote biodynamic agriculture. For example, when the impulse for conversion is coming from outside, from market demand, the advisor's job consists in nurturing the producer's motivation in biodynamic practice in such a way that he or she will continue with his or her own drive, even if demand's initial momentum changes or even disappears.
Everyone agreed that production and marketing conditions have changed significantly. Distributors, buyers, importers, and all stakeholders have a responsibility to contribute financially to offsetting the costs of more sustainable, diverse and environmentally friendly farming practices. At present, these costs are not affordable for farmers under the prevailing price conditions and therefore there is a need to communicate more accurately the true costs of production as well as the environmental, health and social benefits of biodynamics.
What is the role of the advisor in this context? The main role of the advisor is to train the farmers, to take responsibility for soil and crop improvement, and to help the grower to comply with the regulations to obtain the required certification. Although the advisor may not be able to change the production or marketing constraints of agricultural products, he/she can perceive the needs and changes taking place and can inform about and share sustainable and economically viable solutions. He/she can activate the information flow between the different parties involved and, in this way contribute to a better understanding of each other's changing needs.
This event was organised by both Spanish members organisations of the Federation, the Spanish Biodynamic Association (AABDE) and Agro-Cultura Con Respeto, in partnership with the German consulting company Merckens development supported within the framework of an Erasmus+ project co-financed by the European Commission.
United Kingdom
Understanding the Agriculture Course A discussion series exploring the foundations of Biodynamics
Join us this winter for a four-part webinar series looking at main themes from the Agriculture Course lectures from which biodynamics grew. We've brought together a wide range of biodynamic practitioners with decades of experience to help you take the first steps towards understanding the foundations of biodynamics, or deepen your knowledge. The webinars will be approachable and conversational with personal reflections from the contributors and plenty of time for questions and answers. You can join for an individual webinar or the full series:
Expansion and Contraction, Tuesday 18 October 7-9pm (GMT): Two-foldness can be seen in processes of lime & silica, form substance, and through the spray preparations. This webinar will explore 2-foldness in these different processes and in the plant. It relates to Agriculture lectures 1, 2 & 4. Nir Halfon and Alysoun Bolger leading discussion.
Biodynamic Chemistry, Thursday 17 November 7-9pm (GMT): Related to working with the 4 chemical elements: H, N, C, O and the alchemical process of protein synthesis. It also gives a window in understanding the 4 kingdoms and 4 main bodies. This webinar relates to Agriculture lecture 3. Jonathan Code leading discussion.
Biodynamic Preparations, Thursday 19 January 7-9pm (GMT): Explore the use and purpose of the biodynamic preparations and peppers as presented in the Agriculture Course. The way different ingredients, treatments and use are described in lectures 4, 5 and 6. Claire Hattersley and Harry Astley leading discussion.
Farm Organism & Animal Nutrition, Thursday 16 February 7-9pm (GMT): We will discuss the idea of the self-sustained farm organism as presented in Agriculture lectures 2, 7 and 8. How does the farm organism come together through the diversity of different biomes in the land? Forces working from above and below. Dan Powell and Andre Tranquilini leading discussion.
Registration is £15 per webinar or £50 for all four. In addition to the webinar, registration will also give you access to other online resources exploring the topic. For full details and to register visit the webpage.
News from the World
Departure of a great man! Mr. Senerath Yatigammana,Former President of the Biodynamic Association of Sri Lanka
It is with sadness and great regret that we have learned of the unexpected passing of Mr. Senarath Yatigammana on September 22 and we would like to express our sincere condolences to his family, his friends and to the Biodynamic Association. We will have fond memories of the kindness and sincerity of Mr. Senarath and will miss him not only in the community of biodynamic trainers and biodynamic advisors but also as a good colleague.
Mr. Yatigammana was born on 29th October 1965, in the cultural city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. The greenery and history associated with Kandy might have influnced him to become man who loved nature.
He graduated in Science at the University of Peradeniya. Instead of being a bureaucrat, his passion was to support the local farming communities. He helped them to become independent, environmentally friendly and ethical by insisting on the sustenance of earth. During his professional career, Mr.Yatigammana held different positions at several organizations that were serving organic and biodynamic farmers.
He was the founding president of the Biodynamic Association of Sri Lanka (BDASL). Not only was he an asset to the BDASL, but he was also an advocate for biodynamic farming in Sri Lanka as he held a wealth of knowledge on biodynamic agriculture which he loved so much. Through the BDASL he generously shared his knowledge with many farming communities in Sri Lanka. He conducted several experiments where he tried to combine Sri Lankan indigenous farming knowledge with biodynamic agricultural practices. Further, he was the author of several publications on biodynamic farming.
Mr. Yatigammana, known to his friends as Senarath, was not only a lovely person, but also a mentor to many of his friends and colleagues. His passion and contribution to the organic, fairtrade and biodynamic movements over two decades will be remembered.
May he attain supreme Nibbana!
The Biodynamic Association of Sri Lanka (BDASL)
International Coalition on Climate and Agriculture Signatory Statement supported by the Federation
The International Coalition on Climate and Agriculture (ICCA) is an alliance of civil society leaders and activists representing agriculture, the environment, indigenous peoples, farmers, and other movements around the globe to promote and advance ecological farming as central to addressing the climate crisis.
The ICCA primary goals are:
to advocate that agricultural production practices based on ecological and environmental justice principles need to be an integral element in international and national efforts addressing the climate crisis, and be incorporated within climate agreements, institutions, and agriculture policies
to organize international opposition to the continuation of industrial agriculture practices, with an emphasis on counteracting the Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate initiative sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture, the United Arab Emirates, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Syngenta, Bayer, and others. Despite the existential threat that AIM and agritech presents, there has been no major, unified, organized international effort to oppose it either at the COPs or more generally
In light of the upcomingCOP27, the ICCA calls for counteracting AIM by supporting the BROAD (biodiverse, regenerative, organic agroecological, and democratic) approach to create a food future that reduces negative impacts to the climate crisis.
The ICCA advocates converting to ecological agriculture systems and ending industrial agriculture practices by 2050 as an urgent necessity toward mitigating and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and providing other fundamental co-benefits such as biological diversity protection.
Future goals of the ICCA include obtaining the COP President’s Endorsement of the ICCA approach in future conferences and ultimately having the UNFCCC endorse the ICCA’s BROAD initiative and eventual agreement by the conference of parties to include BROAD in the Nationally Determined Contributions.
More news from the Federation on our websiteand social media:
End
Thanks to all our readers and authors for their interest. The next newsletter will be published in November 2022. If you would like to submit any articles or comments, please send your contributions to: newsletter@demeter.net.
