Pierre Rabhi - Recognition

Recognition

In 1978, he was given responsibility for training in agricultural ecology at the CEFRA(Centre d'études et de formation rurales appliqués-Centre for applied rural studies and training). From 1981 onwards, at the request of the countries government, he was to visit Burkina Faso as a « farmer without frontiers » this work being funded by the CRIAD (Centre de relations internationales entre agriculteurs pour le développement – Centre for international relations between farmers and for development). In 1985, he set up the agroecology training centre at Gorom-Gorom, with the support of the association Le Point-Mulhouse. In 1988, he founded the CIEPAD(Carrefour international d'échanges de pratiques appliquées au développement – International forum for the sharing of knowledge about applied practices) with the support of the Hérault Regional Council. He developed an « optimised model for an agricultural site », educational and training programs and started numerous overseas development programs in Morocco, Palestine, Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Togo, Benin, Mauritaniea, Poland and the Ukraine. In 1992, he started the program for the rehabilitation of the Chenini-Gabès oasis in Tunisia. Since 1994, he has led the « Oasis en tous lieux – An oasis in any place »movement, aiming to promote an earth that can produce food and the reconstitution of social involvement. In 1997 and 1998, at the request of the UN, he was asked to prepare concrete proposals for implementation of his plan during preparation for the Agreement on action against desertification / Convention de lutte contre la désertification (CCD). From 1999 to 2001, he started new development initiatives in the Agadez region in Niger and the Gao region in Mali. In 2002 he set out on a pre-presidential campaign in which he obtained the support of184 elected representatives and the birth of the Mouvement Appel Pour une Insurrection des Consciences (MAPIC)/ Movement Calling for an Insurrection of Consciences. He regularly leads conferences and workshops on themes relating to simplicité volontaire/simple living and to décroissance/de-growth. Considered to have prepared the ground for the altermondialisme / alter-globalisation movement, he was invited to the European Social Forum, and named one of his speeches « Donner une âme à la mondialisation/Giving a soul to Globalisation ». In 2007 he set up the « mouvement international pour la terre et l'humanisme »/international movement for earth and humanism1. He is president of the Terre et Humanisme association, was a member of the board of editors of the French monthly La Décroissance / De-growth and is vice president of the Kokopelli association which works to protect biodiversity ( in the production and distribution of organically and biodynamically grown seeds..) and for the regeneration of the fertility of cultivated soils.