Allan Savory

Allan Savory
Born15 September 1935 (1935-09-15) (age 89)
Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia
(now Zimbabwe)
Alma materUniversity of Natal
Known forHolistic management
AwardsBanksia International Award (2003)
Buckminster Fuller Challenge (2010)
Scientific career
FieldsEcology, resource management
InstitutionsSavory Institute
Africa Center for Holistic Management

Clifford Allan Redin Savory (born 15 September 1935) is a Zimbabwean livestock farmer and president and co-founder of the Savory Institute. He originated holistic management,[1] a systems thinking approach to managing resources.

Savory advocates using bunched and moving livestock in an effort to mimic nature, as a means to heal the environment, stating "only livestock can reverse desertification. There is no other known tool available to humans with which to address desertification that is contributing not only to climate change but also to much of the poverty, emigration, violence, etc. in the seriously affected regions of the world."[2] "Only livestock can save us."[3] He believes grasslands hold the potential to sequester enough atmospheric carbon dioxide to reverse climate change. Praised by cattle farmers,[4][5] his controversial ideas have sparked opposition from academics; ranging from debate on evidence for treatment effects to the scope of the potential impact for carbon sequestration.[6][7][8]

Savory received the 2003 Banksia International Award[9] and won the 2010 Buckminster Fuller Challenge.[10] Prince Charles called him "a remarkable man" and noted farmer Joel Salatin wrote, "History will vindicate Allan Savory as one of the greatest ecologists of all time."[11]

In contrast, James E. McWilliams described Savory as having "adherence to scientifically questionable conclusions in the face of evidence to the contrary".[8] George Monbiot said of him, "his statements are not supported by empirical evidence and experimental work, and that in crucial respects his techniques do more harm than good."[12] However, this comment has been subject to criticism in a later article published in The Guardian by Hunter Lovins, titled "Why George Monbiot is wrong: grazing livestock can save the world".[13]

  1. ^ "Holistic Land Management: Key to Global Stability" by Terry Waghorn. Forbes. 20 December 2012.
  2. ^ "The Savory Institute: Healing the World's Grasslands, Rangelands and Savannas". Nourishing the Planet. Worldwatch Institute. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  3. ^ Cawood, Matthew (10 July 2011). "More livestock is climate change key". farmonline. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 27 January 2015.
  4. ^ Worms, Patrick (21 February 2012). "Reversing Africa's Decline". Souciant. Archived from the original on 4 February 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  5. ^ Boyers, Bruce (October 2013). "Joel Salatin on Allan Savory". Organic Connections Magazine. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 2 February 2015.
  6. ^ Briske, David D.; Ash, Andrew J.; Derner, Justin D.; Huntsinger, Lynn (2014). "Commentary: A critical assessment of the policy endorsement for holistic management". Agricultural Systems. 125: 50–53. doi:10.1016/j.agsy.2013.12.001.
  7. ^ John Carter; Allison Jones; Mary O’Brien; Jonathan Ratner; George Wuerthner (2014). "Holistic Management: Misinformation on the Science of Grazed Ecosystems". International Journal of Biodiversity. 2014 (163431): 1–10. doi:10.1155/2014/163431.
  8. ^ a b McWilliams, James E. (22 April 2013). "All Sizzle and No Steak". Slate. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
  9. ^ "2003 award winners". Banksia Environmental Foundation. Archived from the original on 5 November 2003.
  10. ^ Cliff Kuang (2 June 2010). "Method That Turns Wastelands Green Wins 2010 Buckminster Fuller Challenge". FastCompany. Retrieved 3 April 2013.
  11. ^ Joel Salatin (2011). Folks, This Ain't Normal: A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World. Center Street. p. 175. ISBN 978-1-4555-0568-5.
  12. ^ Monbiot, George (4 August 2014). "Eat more meat and save the world: the latest implausible farming miracle". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
  13. ^ Lovins, L Hunter (19 August 2014). "Why George Monbiot is wrong: grazing livestock can save the world". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 January 2015.