The aim of this program is to enable and support the transition of farming in Greece into a regenerative one, by sharing the knowledge about agroforestry, its possibilities for restoring soil, plant and animal health, thus regenerating our ecosystems and building resilience facing climate change.
Applying regenerative farming practices like agroforestries, water control, holistic management, land planning and design as well as other techniques have proven highly efficient in the short, mid and long term all over the world both in ecological and economical terms.
The pilot farms that represent the most prevailing agricultural models of the Mediterranean, will be converted into regenerative farming operations.
The farms, the designs and the basic framework will be published to share the basics about regenerative farming and support farmers in the transition of their own farm.
Further our aim is to raise awareness for this regenerative farming and empower farmers all over Greece to convert their operations into regenerative ones.
This is the shift we will initiate on a large scale in Greece.
While growing food, we transform once degraded landscapes, into abundance.
THE PILLARS
THE PILOT FARMS
Support the conversion of pilot farms that represent the prevailing agricultural models in the Mediterranean, into regenerative operations. With this we will provide solid examples and proof of efficiency and sustainability, both, ecologically and economically speaking.
TOOLS FOR CONVERSION, AIMED TO SUPPORT FARMERS
Sharing the strategies, as well as other materials and resources (plans, analysis, videos, illustrations), that we use for the conversion of the pilot farms on this website. These will give farmers and practitioners an insight into the process and constitute a tool for farmers to successfully convert their own land into a regenerative system.
HIGH MEDIA EXPOSURE
will ensure that the strategies and tools for regenerative farming will reach many people and thus be used widely. Further it will increase the awareness of the general public about farming as the means to regenerate the Earth's eco systems while at the same time covering our food needs.
MONITORING
For at least the coming 5 years we will monitor the farms and will supervise the evolution of soil fertility, plant health, the nutrient density of the food as well as the economic performance of the land which will prove the efficiency of the model in all aspects.
We will publish the results in different articles and on this website.
THE TIMELINE
FIRST PHASE
PHASE 2
Farm selection
1-6 of June 2021
During the pre-visit the designers team will meet with the farmers, set the contexts, map the lands, make landscapes analysis, and explore with them the possibilities for a conversion. It will be decided about the final pilot farms, according to their likelihood for a long term engagement and other crucial factors.
Design phase
4-24th of August 2021
In this period, the whole systems design will happen on site of each farm, the budget for the conversion will be drafted and the online content will be created.
Implementation and trainings
23rd-15th of December 2021
Depending on the different phases for the conversion: earthworks, planting, planning, etc. we will implement the designs according to the best periods for each of the activities, as well as for their leverage effect and impact. At the same time workshops for the public with the focus on farmers will be organized.
Monitoring
6th October 2021 onwards
The monitoring starts from moment zero, with assessing the status quo of the farm, the soil and plant health as well as biodiversity of the farm. For this we will collaborate with academic institutions. Besides biological factors we will also assess the economic performance of the farm and the wellbeing of the farmer. The monitoring will last at least 5 years after the initial assessment and data and results will be shared with the regenerative community to further contribute to develop regenerative farming approaches.
PHASE 3 - current Phase
Structural changes & strategic partnerships
2021 ongoing
Forging strategic partnerships will allow for the scaling of regenerative farming in Greece. Learning from examples abroad and forging transnational alliances.
Networking and community development
Spring 2022-2023
Support a community of regenerative farmers and advisors to emerge, to support peer-learning to allow even more farms to transition, through the power of community.
Communication
2021 onwards
Increase awareness of public, stakeholders and farmers about regenerative farming and its importance.
Tools and Learning Material
2021 and onwards
Share relevant learning content, translate it into Greek, create tools for farm management and design to support farmers in their transition. Reach out to relevant partners in the field of media, education and learning platforms.
POSSIBLE NEXT STEPS
Handbook on regenerative farming in Greek
2022 or 2023
Create a handbook on regenerative farming in Greek language and adapted to the Greek context.
Online learning platform
2022 or 2023
n collaboration with other learning platforms on regenerative farming we will select relevant content and make it available in Greek language to support farmers in conversion on their path.
Coaching program
2022 or 2023
Support farmers that request our support in their transition through sharing material, advices and guidance in their transition.
Training courses for Greek farmer
2022 or 2023
Training courses on regenerative farming will be developed for Greece to start in 2023.
THE LEAD DESIGNERS
Uniting experience from all over Europe and beyond
CHAN SAC BALAM
Besides having extensive farming experience in various regenerative pilot farms in France and Mexico, he is also founder of PermaLab, an organization specialized in regenerative farming and hydrological design. Their work focuses on education, consultancy, land and farm planning, design and implementation of many regenerative agricultural operations in France and abroad.
He is also member of the administration board of ADAF (Association Dromoise de AgroForesterie) who supports farmers in their transition to regenerative agroforestry models, through consulting, training and education. His vast experience will help advance regenerative farming in Greece in the professional context.
Read further about
GIUSEPPE SANNICANDRO
Giuseppe Sannicandro started working with regenerative farming more than 10 years ago in Italy, going deeper in agroforestry in South America. Since then he has designed the transition to regenerative farming for more than 70 farms all over Europe in various different climates. He has vast experience in the Mediterranean climate, working with farms in Italy, Portugal, Spain, Cyprus, Switzerland and Greece. He is co-founder of the organization Regen based in Apulia, Italy where he is running an educational regenerative farming center, while designing and consulting other farms.
Read further about
SHEILA DARMOS
Having her roots in the early organic movement in Greece, with her father being a pioneer in the movement, she experienced what it means to support farmers in their transition and the chance this meant for integrating a yet greater transition to happen to farming in Greece. Still leading the family business which was created to support the organic movement, through taking care of the all the steps of the chain the organic product makes, until the final consumer, she further has insight and influence in how the food is sold that is being produced, in organic or regenerative farming. Truth is for a transition to happen, we need to change more than just the way we grow things, but also how we offer them and how we demand them as a consumer. A background in sociology in Germany equips her with precious insight into social processes, for sure helpful in initiating societal changes, of which farming is a major outcome. After reinventing her family business she inherited at a young age, she started The Southern Lights organization which works on many other levels on transforming our society. The Regenerative Farming Support Program is one of those. Farming also her own land she sees the challenges young farmers are facing which gives her the ability to find solutions oriented on real needs.
Evy holds a Ph.D. in Sociocultural Anthropology from The George Washington University on Regenerative Design in Greece. Her work centers on the emergence of grassroots ecological projects; how their low-tech solutions can solve big ecological problems, and the specific ways holistic farming approaches can revive extractive biological and social systems. Evy has taught classes in Sociocultural Anthropology and Research Design and Methods for over three years both in the United States and Greece. She has extensive experience conducting field research and gathering information through ethnographic methods such as interviewing and participant observation.
Her research in this field will contribute to the successful design and continuation of the program.
MARIA CATANA
Having continuously perceived life with a strong logical thought process, Maria’s strength is in analytical thinking and making clarity out of complexity, which also translates into her knowledge of Regenerative Farming. After finishing her studies in Computational Science and Applied Mathematics in Portugal, her passion for understanding life in the soil became evident and gave way to a new turn in her professional focus. Currently, she enhances internal processes, while furthering the thriving of local networks for Regenerative Farming Greece.
MARIA SKAPINAKI
The ethical way of living towards human, animals and nature in combination with the willing to support people, was the compass for Maria to switch professional direction after accomplishing her studies in Mathematics. After her Masters' Degree in Project Management she combined her structured thinking and her organizational skills with the intention of collaborating with a strong team that believe in change! Maria runs the processes related to our video platform, internal management procedures and supports the communication of the Local Networks for Regenerative Farming.
PARTNERSHIPS
There is a diverse set of stakeholders out there aware of the needs to support the farming sector in its transition. And we have joined forces.
FUNDING
This program is generously funded by the following foundations. We are deeply grateful for their support.
MONITORING OF THE FARMS
Keep track of the changes
For a period of at least 5 years we will monitor the farms and will supervise the evolution of soil fertility, plant health, the nutrient density of the food as well as the economic performance of the land which will prove the efficiency of the model in all aspects. The monitoring of the farms has started from day 0 before the conversion of the farms begin, to know how the situation of the land and the soil was before our intervention. It will continue and be done every year, according to the best period for each parameter to assess.
For the monitoring we collaborate with academic institutions and we accept interns from many different universities from all over Europe. We are open to more collaborations with students and universities to broaden the scope and parameters that are being monitored.
CONTACT
Let´s evolve this together!
You want to get involved, have questions, ideas for collaboration, you want to offer your support or want to share your needs and offers? Just write us a message!
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