Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Special topic 2
Biodynamic agriculture today
Florian Leiber*, The Goetheanum, Switzerland, Nikolai Fuchs, The Goetheanum, Switzerland
and Hartmut Spieß, Institute for Biodynamic Research, Germany
*Dr Florian Leiber, Sektion für Landwirtschaft, The Goetheanum, Hügelweg 59, Dornach 4143, Switzerland.
Tel: +41 61 706 4212, Fax: +41 61 706 4215, Email: florian.leiber@goetheanum.ch
Introduction
Biodynamic agriculture can be described as a comprehensive agricultural system on mixed
farms, which should always involve crops and livestock. The system is based on respect for, and
efforts in, gaining awareness of the spiritual dimension of all creatures and the inorganic envi-
ronment. Insights into this spiritual dimension (e.g. detailed descriptions of the spiritual char-
acter of animals, plants and physical elements or of planetary impacts) were given by Rudolf
Steiner in 1924 (Steiner 2004). These descriptions should give farmers an orientation in their
actions and awareness in order to evolve the agricultural system. Furthermore, the formula-
tion of specific preparations was given by Steiner as a particular new element in agriculture.
Biodynamic agriculture incorporates the landscape and the ecosystem as essential parts of the
whole. It minimises nutrient inputs from outside the farm through proper legume crop
management.
General principles in biodynamic farming
Globally, about 3270 holdings in 35 countries and with an area of 104,000 ha are certified under
the
Demeter
label. This means that they comply with both the relevant national organic farming
standards and the international Demeter Standards (Demeter International 2003). There are a
huge variety of enterprises on Demeter farms, covering anything from temperate arable farming
to viticulture in France, cotton production in Egypt and silkworm breeding in China.
The intentionally individual design of life processes by the farmer, as determined by site
conditions, is one of the basic tenets of biodynamic agriculture. This principle emphasises that
humans have a responsibility for the development of their ecological and social environment
which goes beyond economic aims and the principles of descriptive ecology.
The vision on which this principle is based is the individual design of the holding in the
context of the complex interaction of all impacting factors. The pedosphere, ecosphere and
landscape, as well as the atmosphere and the cosmic environment (apart from the sun, these
are primarily the moon and the planets) form the natural basis. Crop plants, livestock, the
farmer as well as the entire socioeconomic environment have an effect at all levels of this
natural environment, are inf luenced by these levels, and thus form an intricate interrelation-
ship. A farm, therefore, becomes an 'individuality' in which the various factors, just like
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