![[Re]Generation Fellow: Guy Ritani](https://macdochfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/186A1327-scaled.jpg)
In 2023, the Australian [Re]Generate Fellowship (fka HERD) was established to help the next generation of farmers, graziers and land stewards build a diverse and resilient network dedicated to regenerative practices.
In its inaugural year, the program provided food systems specialist and permaculture teacher, Guy Ritani, with a full scholarship to attend the REGENERATE Conference in Santa Fe, California.
The annual event brings together farmers, conservationists, land stewards, scientists and thought leaders from across the world to exchange knowledge, foster community and explore innovative practices.
The conference provided Guy the opportunity to learn from leaders in the field, forge meaningful relationships with peers and mentors across the USA, find support for their work and bring fresh perspectives on the future of agriculture back to Australia.
“I learnt so much during my time at REGENERATE.
What really struck me was hearing such a range of amazing stories about resilience and innovation.”
Guy have been engaged in innovative regenerative practices both ecologically & socially across the Asia-Pacific region for years. Their work is centered around building relationships, networks and systems to achieve climate justice, bio-regional food security and culturally appropriate and sovereign food systems.
Guy co-founded PermaQueer, an organisation supporting Queer, POC and other vulnerable communities with permaculture education. They are currently delivering the VicHealth Future Healthy Food Hubs program as Food Systems Specialist, and have been an educator in food sovereignty and systems design across Australasia for the past five years.
They went into the REGENERATE Conference without expectations and left with new connections and a renewed vigour to help find ways to make Australia more resilient and strengthen our regenerative food systems.
”A shepherdess, Cole Bush from California spoke about using goats and sheep to help with vegetation management to boost fire prevention. Cole now provides this alternative to back burning as a contract service to landholders.
Examples like this are proof that when you take a regenerative approach, you can create new industries and service areas that not only create revenue but deliver environmental benefits to the land. We implement a lot of regenerative practices out of principle but they can also have real impact in times of strife.
For example, when the Ponderosa Forests in Mora County, New Mexico were destroyed by fire, sending a number of small communities into food system collapse, the pre-existing relationships with the regenerative food supply system allowed the communities to bounce back quicker.
Receiving this fellowship has been an invaluable experience. It allowed me to build strong relationships with other innovators and visionaries and I know that those connections will be vital in implementing my learnings here in Australia. I’m excited to share the knowledge and contacts I gained through this process with others hoping to make a difference in the industry.
I think if we want to spark more uptake of regenerative agriculture in Australia, we need to replicate opportunities like the REGENERATE Conference here so we can share innovative practices on a larger scale.
Guy hopes to use their new connections, deep ties to community and existing relationships with government in Australia to begin the process of setting up a more organised approach to regenerative agriculture and create a spark for change and innovation.
The [Re]Generation Fellowship is a mentoring program led by Funders for Regenerative Agriculture (FORA), Quivira Coalition, Holistic Management International, and the American Grassfed Association.
Macdoch Foundation supports the [Re]Generation Fellowship Program by offering one full scholarship to an Australian early-career farmer, grazier, or land steward to attend the REGENERATE Conference. You can read more about the program here.
Find out more about PermaQueer here.
