Supporting resilient and climate smart communities through regenerative agritourism & food tourism, regenerative farming & food systems & regenerative landscapes.
What Is Regenerative Vanua?
Our
Vision
Regenerative Vanua in collaboration with many partners have developed the first Regenerative Agritourism Standards globally to be recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) to ensure the development of agritourism is resilient in the face of climate change and protects and promotes Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). We are now working with regional partners and donors to apply these standards globally and it is such a significant achievement for Vanuatu to develop the first ever regenerative agritourism standards.
What is regenerative?
Enhancing wellbeing through adaptation to climate changes is key to the regenerative movement. If the wellbeing of the people, communities and the land are improving then it is regenerative.
Everyone is familiar with sustainable tourism and sustainable agriculture or organic agriculture etc. which aims to minimise the damage caused from tourism or agriculture to the environment and people. But this is not enough, we are now in a climate crisis and its vital that we make sure that all activities we carry out on our land are adapted to climate change and support wellbeing. Regenerative goes further than sustainable because it ensures the diversity, quality of production, vitality and health of the soil, plants, animals and people improve together, it’s not about minimising damage of income earning activities it’s about building on our traditional Indigenous knowledge Systems (IKS) to improve the wellbeing of our people, communities, the land and ecosystems.
REGENERATIVE GOES FURTHER THAN SUSTAINABLE
- it has a clear focus on the fight against climate change
- a respect, recognition and acknowledgement of traditional Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS)
- a return to more localised and fair farming and food systems
- a respect for the land over just focusing on profit
- stands up against land alienation and supports land sovereignty
- seeks for soils, water cycles, vegetation and productivity to continuously improve instead of just maintaining the status
A regenerative approach ensures the diversity, quality, vitality and health of the soil, plants, animals and people also improve together.
Regenerative Agritourism
Regenerative Vanua are supporting multiple ways of describing, designing and applying regenerative agritourism and food tourism experiences in diverse places and communities.
By understanding the unique potential of a place, Regenerative Agritourism and food tourism operators are developing reciprocal relationships with living entities and discovering ways to align with and build the capacity of social-ecological systems based on their Custom (traditional) economy and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS).
The purpose for the Regenerative Agritourism and Food Tourism Pathway Recognition Program is the recognition of Regenerative Agritourism and Food Tourism operators regeneration and decolonisation journey to nature positive (flourishing, thriving).
Regenerative Vanua are critically engaging with place, people and systems
- Increasing the regenerative capacity of human societies and ecosystems
- Supporting transformation through decolonisation and healing, justice and equality (gender)
- Transforming oppressive colonial, social, political, economic systems
- Regenerative Vanua see our Regenerative Agritourism and Food Tourism Ambassadors are catalysts of change, stewards of regenerative agriculture and landscapes and custodians of place for future generations.
If you benefited at the expense of anyone or anything including future generations than you are not regenerative. It’s not about minimising or only leaving footprints, it’s about transformative experiences between host and guest that contributes to the regeneration of themselves, places and communities.
Award
Food Tourism and Agritourism Initiative wins an island innovation award for most transformational government sustainability initiative.
More details:
https://islandinnovation.co/island-innovation-awards/
Want to be involved?
Donor, Advisor, Media, Participant?
Contact the Regenerative Vanua team on : regenerativevanua@gmail.com