Regenerating Our Future: Stories from Dimbangombe – Newsletter 1
Join Us on a Journey of Regeneration: Introducing Our New Series!
Dear Friends of ACHM,
We are excited to announce the launch of a brand-new series, "Regenerating Our Future: Stories from Dimbangombe." This series will take you on an inspiring journey through the transformative work we are doing at the Africa Centre for Holistic Management (ACHM) using the Holistic Management Framework to regenerate our environment and improve community resilience.
As many of you know, ACHM was co-founded by Allan Savory and Jody Butterfield in 1992. Since then, we have been dedicated to disseminating Holistic Management principles across Africa, with our base at Dimbangombe Conservancy near Victoria Falls serving as a living classroom and learning site. In this series, we will share the successes, challenges, and innovations that define our work, aiming to connect you more deeply with our mission and the impactful stories of the people and wildlife we support.
Understanding Regenerative Agriculture and Holistic Management
Holistic Management is not just a set of practices; it is a philosophy that recognizes the interconnectedness of all aspects of our environment. At ACHM, we believe in an outcomes-based approach that integrates social, economic, and environmental factors to create sustainable, resilient ecosystems. Developed by Allan Savory, Holistic Management is the framework that guides our efforts, helping us make decisions that benefit the land, the people, and the wildlife.
Our Mission at ACHM
At ACHM, our mission is to restore degraded lands, enhance biodiversity, and improve the livelihoods of local communities through education and practical learning of regenerative techniques. We manage a herd of cattle at Dimbangombe, which serves as a learning tool to study and learn how livestock, when managed correctly, can restore the environment. This approach not only supports land regeneration but also serves as a critical educational resource for communal and commercial farmers, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
Success Stories and Community Impact
Over the years, our holistic approach has led to remarkable transformations:
Grassland Restoration: By implementing Holistic Planned Grazing, we have turned overgrazed and barren land into thriving grasslands.
Water Management: Our strategic planning has improved water retention in the soil, making our land more resilient to drought.
Community Empowerment: Through our training programs, we have equipped local farmers with the knowledge and skills to manage their lands sustainably, increasing their productivity and income.
Testimonials
Hear from some of our community members:
"This intensive 2-week training gave all the participants a new level of understanding for holistic planned grazing. We were especially impressed to see participants speaking from their hearts and so passionately about holistic grazing, and they realised they hadn’t been implementing holistic grazing in the right way until this point. It is imperative for communities to have this training for the work to spread. Trainees have been assessing paddocks regularly since the training and have been self-organising to a new level. Engaging with the wider community at ward level on holistic grazing and have a new energy working as team." – Softfoot Aliance - Mbale District, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe
" Community Facilitator’s Training Programme strengthened iGugu Trust Team’s knowledge in various aspects of Holistic management. The most outstanding topics that were of great benefit to the participants were the community mobilisation, holistic context, holistic planned grazing, problem, and solution tree analysis which are participatory tools that are used to help stakeholder to establish a realistic overview and awareness of the problem affecting a community." – iGugu Trust, Ndlovu Community, Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe
Looking Ahead
In the upcoming newsletters, we will delve deeper into specific aspects of the Holistic Management Framework, showcase success stories, and explore the broader impacts of our work. We will also highlight our innovative projects designed to support our holistic planned grazing, herding techniquesand reduce human-wildlife conflict.
Stay Connected
We invite you to join us on this journey of regeneration and resilience. Your support and engagement are crucial to our success. Stay tuned for our next newsletter, where we will explore how our grazing strategies are transforming grasslands into thriving ecosystems.
Thank you for being a part of our community and supporting ACHM's mission. Together, we can regenerate our future.
Warm regards,
Lao Watson-Smith