Allan Savory

type: #person organisation / role: Savory Institute - co-founder location: #usa

About

Allan Savory, born in 1935 in Zimbabwe, is a renowned ecologist, livestock farmer, and environmentalist. Educated in South Africa, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and Botany from the University of Natal. His early career included roles as a research biologist and game ranger in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), where he began developing his ideas on land management.

In the 1960s, Savory observed that traditional land management practices were contributing to desertification. He proposed that, contrary to prevailing beliefs, increased livestock numbers, managed through strategic grazing patterns, could restore degraded grasslands. This led to the development of the time-tested Holistic Management framework for decision-making and grazing planning that is adaptable to any context and accounts for the complex interactions within ecosystems.

In 2009, Savory co-founded the Savory Institute, aiming to promote Holistic Management globally. The institute collaborates with farmers, ranchers, and pastoralists to implement regenerative agricultural practices that enhance soil health, biodiversity, and livelihoods. Their Ecological Outcome Verification protocol provides the feedback to ensure farm management is moving in the right direction.

Videos

How to Green the World's Deserts - TED 22m
Allan Savory, Joel Salatin and Darren Doherty at Polyface Farm 59m
Holistic Management Overview 1h:02m

Books

Holistic Management to Restore Our Environment (2016)
The Grazing Revolution (2023)