Demeter celebrates 100 years of biodynamic agriculture at Terra Madre 2024

On the occasion of the centenary of the birth of biodynamic agriculture, the conference organized by Demeter in collaboration with Slow Food was held.

• Biodynamic agriculture turns 100 years old.
• The German certification brand Demeter is a guest at Terra Madre 2024.

It's not every day that we celebrate a century of life, especially when it comes to an agricultural methodology.The world of agriculture evolves slowly and it is often difficult to identify a precise year for the birth of a particular approach or technique.However, Demeter, the certification pioneer ofbiodynamic agriculture, has a very specific foundation date:1924.This year, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, it was the protagonist of Terra Madre 2024, the flagship event organized by Slow Food, which took place at Parco Dora in Turin.

For the occasion, Barbara Nappini, president of Slow Food Italia, was keen to underline the importance of changing perspective towards Nature. “Let's not talk about saving nature anymore”, said Nappini, highlighting how the slogan of this new edition of Terra Madre, held between 26 and 30 September 2024, is precisely We Are Nature.“At most it will be Nature that will save us.As long as we treat her well."Not like we are doing now, in short:to ensure a sustainable future, it is essential to rethink our relationship with food and the environment.And this is precisely where Demeter, main partner of Terra Madre 2024, comes into play, with its long history of agricultural innovation.

Demeter, the first certification on biodynamic agriculture

Founded in Germany by a group of farmers inspired by the theosophist's thoughts Rudolf Steiner, Demeter represents the first certification in the world for products grown according to the principles of biodynamic agriculture.These pioneers already noticed the environmental impact caused by the use of chemistry in agricultural processes 100 years ago:not only did the quality of the food suffer, but the fertility of the land was also compromised.Thanks to Steiner's conferences and the diffusion of his ideas, a movement developed that laid the foundations for food production in harmony with Nature.

Pietro Bevilacqua, agricultural historian, writer and essayist, explained to the Terra Madre audience how the lexicon of biodynamics was already cutting-edge then, anticipating concepts common today such as the circular economy.“In biodynamic agriculture, the concept of circularity it translates into bringing back to the earth everything that is taken away from it during cultivation.Not only through the use of manure, but also thanks to natural preparations such as valerian or nettle inoculation, to regenerate the soil".These are, therefore, techniques that do not impoverish the soil but regenerate it, allowing agricultural production that does not exploit, but respects Nature.Bevilacqua defined this approach as a care economy, which contrasts the model of intensive exploitation of the land and represents hope for future generations.

The link between Demeter and Slow Food

One of the most discussed aspects is the link between biodynamic agriculture and science.In response to skeptics, Sergio Maria Francardo, an anthroposophical doctor (anthroposophy is the discipline based on the teachings of Rudolf Steiner), clarified that there are numerous studies which attest to the health benefits of biodynamic nutrition.“It has been shown that a diet based on biodynamic products reduces the incidence of allergies and chronic diseases.The quality of these foods has a significant impact on health, an effect we are only beginning to fully understand."According to Francardo, biodynamic food stimulates the metabolism and strengthens the immune system, offering protection to the body.

Demeter's legacy, however, goes beyond simple agricultural practice:represents a real cultural movement.In these 100 years, biodynamics has been committed to proving that can be grown sustainably, producing food that nourishes not only the body, but also the Earth.The conference therefore represented a moment of celebration that strengthened the bond between Demeter and Slow Food:“We chose to celebrate Demeter's 100 years at Terra Madre because we share the same values ​​of respect for the land and attention to the quality of food with Slow Food.Biodynamic agriculture represents one of the most concrete answers and at the same time ambitious to the challenges of our present", concluded Enrico Amico, the president of Demeter Italia.