Pierre Rabhi

Pierre Rabhi (Kenadsa, Algeria, May 29, 1938-Lyon, France, December 4, 2021) was a French farmer, politician, writer and philosopher of Algerian origin. He was one of the precursors and promoters of agroecology. He was also a supporter of the back-to-the-land movement, and founder of the concept of “oases in all places.” He defended a mode of society that was more respectful of people and the land, and supported the development of agricultural practices that were respectful of the environment and preserving natural resources, mainly in arid countries.

Biography

He was born in 1938 in Kenadsa near Béchar, in Algeria. In 1958 he emigrated to France, initially settling in Paris.

The return to earth

He worked as a technician for a company where he met Michèle, his future wife. Both want to escape from urban life and dedicate themselves to agriculture. They meet Dr. Pierre Richard, an ecologist and visionary who was then working on the creation of the Cévennes National Park, who encourages them in their project.

They then decided to settle in Ardèche in 1960, an original decision since it preceded by several years the neo-rural movement at the end of the 60s. After 3 years as an agricultural worker, he became an independent farmer with the aim of not reproducing the productivist and combines biodynamic agriculture with goat farming.

After some difficult beginnings, they gained enough experience and in 1968 they received and advised other neo-rurals. They will need 15 years to be able to live off their farm.

Recognition

In 1978 he taught agroecology at CEFRA (Centre d'études et de formation rural appliquées) and in 1981 he traveled to Burkina Faso requested by the country's government and with the support of CRIAD (Centre de relations internationales entre agriculteurs pour le développement).

In 1985 he created a training center in agro-ecology in Gorom-Gorom with the support of the Le Point-Mulhouse association. In 1988 he founded CIEPAD (Carrefour international d & # 39; échanges de pratiques appliquées au développement ) with the support of the general council of Héraul. It organizes an "optimized agricultural installation module", awareness-raising and training programs, as well as numerous development actions abroad (Morocco, the Palestinian Territories, Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Togo, Benin, Mauritania, Poland and Ukraine). In 1992 he launched the rehabilitation program of the Chenini-Gabès oasis in Tunisia.

He was also the creator of the association Terre et Humanisme (Earth and humanism), free of any ideological, confessional reference, or any spiritual or secular authority; and that concentrates his humanist actions on the practice of alternatives that reconcile food security and health and safeguards the autonomy and survival of populations.

Published books

• Du Sahara aux Cévennes ou la Reconquête du songe (autobiographie, prix du Cabri d'or de l'Académie cévenole), Lavilledieu, Éditions de Candide, 1983, rééd. éditions Albin Michel, Paris, 1995, rééd. sous le titre Du Sahara aux Cévennes: itinéraire d'un homme au service de la Terre-MèreHey. Albin Michel, Paris, 2002
• Le Gardien du feu: message de sagesse des peuples traditionnels (roman), Lavilledieu, Éditions de Candide, 1986, nouvelle édition Paris, Albin Michel, 2003
• L'Offrande au crépuscule (prix des sciences sociales agricoles du ministère de l'Agriculture), Lavilledieu, Éditions de Candide, 1989, rééd. aux éditions L'Harmattan, 2001
• Le Recours à la terre (recueil d'articles), Lyon, Terre du Ciel, 1995, nouvelleHey. augm. 1999
• Parole de Terre: une initiation africaineParis, Albin Michel, 1996 As in the Heart, So in the Earth, traduit par Joseph Rowe, Park Street Press, Rochester, Vermont, 2007
• Manifeste pour des Oasis en tous lieux, ouvrage collectif sous la direction de Pierre Rabhi, 1997
• Le Chant de la Terre, interview par Jean-Pierre et Rachel Cartier, éd. La Table Ronde, Paris, 2002
• Graines de possibles, regards croisés sur l'écologie, avec Nicolas Hulot, Paris, Calmann-Lévy, 2005 (ISBN 2-7021-3589-7)
• Conscience et environnement, Éditions du Relié, Gordes, 2006
• La Part du colibri: l'espèce humaine face à son devenir, La Tour-d’Aigues, Éditions de l'Aube, 2006 (ISBN 2-7526-0269-3) — Témoignage au Festival du livre de Mouans-Sartoux in 2005
• Écologie et spiritualité, Paris, Éditions Albin Michel, 2006 — Ouvrage collectif avec, entre autres, Jacques Brosse, André Comte-Sponville, Eugen Drewermann, Albert Jacquard, Jacques Lacarrière, Théodore Monod, Jean-Marie Pelt, Annick de Souzenelle
• Terre-Mère, Homicide volontaire ? Entretiens avec Jacques-Olivier DurandHey. Le Navire en pleine ville, Saint-Hippolyte-du-Fort (Gard), 2007
• Manifeste pour la Terre et l'Humanisme - Pour une insurrection des consciences, Arlés, Actes Sud, 2008
• Sees the soberété heureuse, Arlés, Actes Sud, 2010
• Eloge du génie créateur de la société civile, Arlés, Actes Sud, 2011
• Un nouveau monde en marche: vers une société non-violente, écologique et solidaire de Laurent Muratet et Étienne Godinot, éd. Yves Michel, Gap, 2012 Participation by Pierre Rabhi, aux côtés, entre autres, de Akhenaton, Christophe André, Stéphane Hessel (préface), Jean-Marie Pelt, Matthieu Ricard, Jean Ziegler
• Pierre Rabhi, semeur d'espoirs, entretiens, Olivier Le Naire, Arlés, Actes Sud, 2013
• A-t-il a sens? avec Jean-Marie Pelt, Fayard, 2014 (ISBN 978-2-213-68186-3)
• L'Agroécologie, une éthique de vie, entretien avec Jacques Caplat, Arlés, Actes Sud, 2015 (ISBN 978-2-330-05646-9)
• La Puissance de la modération, Hozhoni, 2015 (ISBN 978-2372410182)
• La Convergence des consciences, Le Passeur, 2016 (ISBN 978-2368904749)

Filmography

• Participated in the documentary Sous les pavés, la Terre, which exposes durable solutions in the short and medium term in various fields: agriculture, transport or accommodation.
• In 2015, he also participated in the documentary film by Cyril Dion Tomorrow.