Towards Regenerative (Agri)Cultures. An ethnographic case study of integrated socio-ecological restoration at the Hof Lebensberg community farm, Germany

Abstract: Agriculture is today the human activity most vulnerable to Climate Change, and one of its leading causes. Regenerative Agriculture offers powerful tools to restore ecosystems, without sacrificing abundant food production; nevertheless, a systematic adoption of such practices is incompatible with the existing economic structures and calls for a radical societal change. This study aims at exploring the cognitive and socio-cultural aspects underlying the transition to Regenerative Agriculture. By combining a Socio-Ecological Systems approach with tools of System Thinking, and employing ethnographic methods to the case of the “Hof Lebensberg” farm in Germany, this research individuates interacting factors of change, to identify possible leverage points for further transformation. Findings evidence a structural contrast between our current socio-economic imperatives and the values supporting the construction of personalities and thick social relations. Coordinated efforts across levels are therefore required to develop the environmental sensitivity necessary to trigger the desired cultural transformation.