Guiding Principles

Using but Protecting Nature

Biodynamic agriculture is the oldest consciously organic approach to farming and gardening, and is one of the most sustainable in existence. It is founded on a holistic understanding of nature and the human being. The very tenets of organic farming make this method of agricultural production relevant and suitable for the fragile economic, environmental, and social conditions prevailing within Zimbabwe.

Weaning farmers off unsustainable reliance upon expensive chemical pesticides and fertilizers makes sense, given the erratic supply and exorbitant price of conventional agricultural inputs, as well as the damage to the soil that they and their applied methods cause, such as burning straw. Organic farming has the potential to allow farmers to shift part of their income towards educating their children, better health care, and a better quality of life.

• Lessening their reliance on expensive conventional agricultural inputs, such as chemical insecticides and pesticides
• Healing the environment rather than causing environmental degradation
• upon managerial skills crucial to the functioning of the entire farm, and further enriching the indigenous agricultural knowledge base

The principles of organic farming are not restricted to the crops that partner farmers are commissioned to grow: they build the foundation for an increase in productivity of all crops that the modern Zimbabwean farmer needs to meet his/her needs and most importantly, those of his/her extended family.