A conversation with farmer Benedikt Bösel, farmer and regen agronomist Matteo Mazzola and Philippe Birker, co-founder of Climate Farmers. We need regenerative agronomists. Because let’s face it — most farmers trust their agronomist, and the chances that their agronomist is trained in regen are pretty small. We’re moving from the first group of super ambitious, entrepreneurial, and slightly rebellious farmers who have made the transition, to a larger group who want to transition but can take less risk and will need support. So, who do they call when they want to start their transition? Current agriculture schools for agronomists are still very much focused on extractive, highly input- driven agriculture. Farmers often want a checklist and a protocol to “go regen” — but it might be more about asking uncomfortable questions.
So how do we go about changing that? This is three-part conversation today with:
- Philippe Birker, who is setting up the Regen Agronomist Training in Europe, a 6-months intensive training program designed to equip agronomists with practical and theoretical knowledge in regenerative agriculture, with the first pilot happening this year.
- Benedikt Bösel, farmer at Gut&Bösel, whose farm will serve as a training farm, while sharing his experience with getting help taking his first steps into regen.
- Matteo Mazzola, regenerative farmer at Iside, who also works with many others supporting their transition.
WHY PHILIPPE STARTED THIS REGEN AGRONOMIST TRAINING
There is a critical shortage of qualified regenerative agronomists in Europe and a lack of formal education. Philippe created the training to address this gap by immersing students in advanced regenerative farms and connecting them with expert consultants.
“We also realise that there is a problem when farmers want to really take the next step and really take the transition seriously and get a transition plan created. Because first of all, there are not a lot of agronomists actually out there who are able to do this right now. We think in Europe there are less than a hundred, and we really looked quite thoroughly. And then second of all, those few ones that are out there are in very high demand. […] If we look at our current educational system, especially in the agricultural context, it’s a very sad perspective. […] A whole education specifically on the topic, preparing young people for work in the regenerative space, potentially supporting farmers, does simply not exist.” Philippe Birker
WHO DID BENEDIKT CALL WHEN HE STARTED 7 YEARS AGO?
Benedikt experienced an early isolation in transitioning to regenerative agriculture. With no established support network, he sought guidance through relentless outreach until discovering foundational concepts like agroforestry.
“Only then to start writing to people all over the world emails saying, ‘Look, I’ve got 3000 hectares of sand that I’m responsible for, and I don’t know what to do. So, in case you are working on how to grow food and make a living on sandy soil, then let’s cooperate; you can come here, whatever.’ And it took thousands and thousands of emails until finally someone wrote back and said, ‘have you heard something about agroforestry before?’ Benedikt Bösel
WHEN DID MATTEO BECOME A CONSULTANT BESIDES FARMING, AND HOW DOES THAT WORK?
Matteo rejects the label of ‘consultant’, framing his role as a collaborator focused on psychological and social regeneration. He prioritises deep human connections over technical prescriptions.
“It was not really a linear process. […] I don’t really see myself as a consultant or as an advisor. Most of the time I become a real good friend of the farmers that I’m going to help.” Matteo Mazzola
“At the beginning it is not really a matter of agronomical practices […] At the beginning it really comes down to the individual perspectives. […] My work […] is more of a sociological and psychological help.” Matteo Mazzola
“I’m really looking for humans, rather than robots or people interested just in a particular aspect of regenerative agriculture. It is a journey. If I see that there is a spark, I’m happy, I have the energy, I have the will to continue the consultancy and the process; otherwise, no.” Matteo Mazzola
OTHER POINTS DISCUSSED:
- Agrochemical industry’s consulting dominance
- Psychological barriers in transition
- Pioneers’ approach
LINKS:
LINKED INTERVIEWS:
- Walking the land with Benedikt Bösel – Fully integrating 300 cows into a 1000-hectare arable very sandy farm
- Benedikt Bösel, updates from the 3000h German farm in transition
- Matteo Mazzola – Walking the land of Iside Farm with a regenerative farmer
- Matteo Mazzola, the potential and opportunity of regenerative agriculture in Italy
- Anand Ethirajalu – Harvesting the clouds: how to transition over 10,000 farmers a year, reducing input costs and increasing profits
- Regenerative Mind series
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