This paper argues that the infusion of holistic decision making into the practice of planned grazing, or “regenerative ranching,” results in a suite of ecological, economic and social benefits that are the main factors keeping adherents on the regenerative path. Climate change mitigation is only a ‘co-benefit’ or after-thought. The use of holistic decision-making in the implementation of managed grazing amplifies its effects and increases regenerative potential, and, by extension, climate change mitigation potential.
This paper analyzes the experiences of farmers in Australia who have undertaken and sustained transitions from conventional to regenerative agriculture, the majority of whom are Holistic Management practitioners. The authors conclude that transitioning to regenerative agriculture involves more than a suite of ‘climate-smart’ mitigation and adaptation practices supported by technical innovation, policy, education, and outreach. Rather, it involves subjective, nonmaterial factors associated with culture, values, ethics, identity, and emotion that operate at individual, household, and community scales and interact with regional, national and global processes.
The partnership aims to improve rangeland management in Africa, Australia, and Brazil
This paper discusses the adaption of “cell grazing” in Australia, which it describes as an “ecologically integrated paradigm.” From the Abstract: “It is argued that cell grazing is, at present, a marginal activity that requires an ideological and cultural shift, as well as an investment in new infrastructure; however, current cell grazing activities may also demonstrate that beef grazing has the potential to be both economically and environmentally sustainable.”
Holistic management (HM) of grazing is rapidly gaining popularity on farm enterprises in Australia’s temperate grazing zone because it empowers graziers with a decision framework and an adaptive management paradigm to help with adaptation to climate variability. HM grazing, a proactive, low-tech solution, (1) provides flexible management options in the face of climatic uncertainty, and (2) enhances the resilience of the natural environment, thus leaving it better prepared for climatic variability. Adoption of HM grazing signals a change in farming mentality from trying to gain control over the land to working with natural variability and embracing an ethic of land stewardship.
During a photo-elicitation process utilized to compare the landscape perceptions of HM graziers with those of more conventional graziers, HM graziers described their use of adaptive farm management techniques to gain outcomes for production and ecosystems alike, demonstrating a system-based understanding of their farms conducive to farming successfully under increased climate variability.
By Victoria Kindred Keziah, Managing Director, Savory Institute Land to Market Program In recent months, we’ve been sharing news of our emerging Land to Market™ program, the world’s first verified
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