I hesitate to say a letter from the President since in essence there is no President - the Ecological Agriculture Australia Association had its final meeting recently and the Australian Institute of Ecological Agriculture (AIEA) Cooperative Ltd has yet to seek final registration from the NSW Registry of Cooperatives. I write, therefore, as editor of the EAAA/AIEA newsletter.
The formation meeting of the AEIA will take place on Tuesday 13
th September at 8 pm. The meeting will be via teleconference. If you wish to participate then please phone in on a free line as follows: Phone 0386720100 and then enter 170755 when prompted. Enter # again when prompted.
The Institute will have a broader function compared with the EAAA. Its purpose will be educational (the provision of educational programs and training relating to ecological agriculture); extension (provision of farming advice in a general sense and as related to climate change); marketing (creating a workable farmer endorsement program); and, industry focused (supportive on a national body dedicated to ecological farming and regenerative agriculture).
In addition to the above the AIEA will continue to disseminate information through its channels such as the website, Facebook and Twitter. The newsletter will continue as is with a stronger lineup of writers. There is also a role associated with providing commentary to government bodies regarding environmental and farming issues.
The agenda is large and important, primarily because Australian agriculture needs a third force. The agricultural landscape is dominated by industrial farmers who, we believe, will need to change their farming modus operandi in the years to come. Coming a long second is the organic group of farmers who are represented by the Organic Federation of Australia. It is our contention that in the shift that needs to happen the route that many will feel more inclined to take is via ecological/regenerative agriculture. Some of these may well end up as organically certified producers but many will not even though they may have reduced their chemical exposure by 100%.
There is little doubt that agriculture in 20-years time will be vastly different to what it is today. Its focus will be inversely related to the so called Green Revolution of the 1960/70 and the heavy application of phosphate and nitrogen that heralded that period. That revolution was all part of the scientific revolution that led to huge increases in farm productivity. The emphasis, in the future, we believe, will still have a productivity focus but this will be balanced by a heightened awareness of the importance of the environment and the ecological processes that are needed to enhance it.
In the journey ahead the AIEA will have a significant role to play in helping to guide the debate towards farming that is more cognizant of the science of ecosystem management. Part of that role will be to lobby universities to encourage the inclusion of subjects relating to natural and social ecology in agricultural science degree courses.
The AIEA will also have a close association with the new degree in agroecology to be offered at Thurgoona TAFE starting in July 2017 or February 2018. We believe the agroecology degree will meet an important need in farming and will enable young people to enter their agricultural life with skills and knowledge to enhance the emergence of a more ecological farming approach.
Now to a vitally important fact: The Board of the AIEA has a need for directors or committee participants in the following areas. If you are interested in helping in any way please contact the office prior to the meeting or turn up on the night.
Board:
Social Media Coordinator required
Vacancies for two directors.
Committees:
1.Social media (twitter/facebook/publications);
2. Education;
3. Climate change & biodiversity;
4. Extension;
5. Marketing.
To enable the AIEA to perform the roles stated above we need your support.
Kerry Cochrane
kcochrane@ecoag.org.au
0402008100
Editor
