Climate, resilience and health are topics at the heart of the Section for Agriculture
The Section for Agriculture at the Goetheanum has set itself the aim for everyone to be able participate in the biodynamic agricultural and food culture and help to develop it. This assumes access to high-quality seed, a sound training and an environment that enables organic agriculture.
Biodynamic agriculture and research is practised in almost all agricultural areas of the world in places with widely varying conditions. At the Section for Agriculture at the Goetheanum, many observations by biodynamic farmers and scientists come together: through their experiences and challenges on the ground, through their questions and ideas, a picture is formed of the current tasks in agriculture.
The Section works on the biodynamic principles and issues relating to food and makes these publicly available. “We support an expanded concept of research and a knowledge process that goes beyond a reductionist science,” according to Jean-Michel Florin, joint head of the Section for Agriculture. “In this way we combine academic research with the specialist knowledge of practitioners in order to research the tasks of the food and farming systems together, to discuss and to contribute to solutions,” adds Ueli Hurter, his colleague and co-leader.
To fulfil these tasks the Section creates social spaces: meeting and exchanging views can lead to new ideas and potential solutions. The important topics for the next few years identified by the Section are climate, resilience and health. “The aim is to develop these topics in new and existing projects across disciplines in order to explore holistic approaches with our partners,“ adds Verena Wahl, Executive Director of the Section. This will take place via research projects, university courses, expert and research conferences, professional group meetings, online seminars, publications and video documentation.
Digital conference Breathing with the Climate Crisis – ecologically, socially, spiritually, 11 to14 February 2021
Translation by Lynda Hepburn