1st Regenerative Viticulture Conference

17 June 2021

Coinciding with the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, held annually on 17 June, Vilafranca del Penedès welcomed the 1st Regenerative Viticulture Conference. It aligned perfectly with the World Day’s 2021 theme, focused on transforming degraded land into healthy land. The goal of the conference was to present this winegrowing model to a wider audience and build awareness of the need for a paradigm shift based on implementing regenerative practices that can help contain the climate emergency.

Organized by Familia Torres, the conference featured a hybrid format with live streaming due to pandemic-related restrictions. It boasted the presence of renowned national and international experts who provided an in-depth look at regenerative agriculture and urged a swift transition to this model. Not only has it shown immense benefits from an environmental standpoint in the current climatic context, but it has economic advantages as well.

The inaugural address was given by Allan Savory, a pioneer of regenerative agriculture and holistic management, a systems thinking approach that focuses on resource management to reverse desertification. Another world expert on soil regeneration – the Australian farmer Darren J. Doherty – also participated, as did Pilar Andrés, a researcher and expert on soil ecology and biodiversity. Among those sharing their experiences were Australian winegrower James Sweetapple of Cargo Road Wines, Francesc Font of AgroAssessor, and Miguel Torres, fifth generation Familia Torres.

Event videos

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Conference 2021

Full video of the event

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1st Regenerative Viticulture Conference

Conference 2021

Full video of the event

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Allan Savory

Introduction to holistic management

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1st Regenerative Viticulture Conference

Allan Savory

Introduction to holistic management

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Darren Doherty

Introducing Regrarians, the Regenerative Agroecology Movement & our work in Viticulture

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1st Regenerative Viticulture Conference

Darren Doherty

Introducing Regrarians, the Regenerative Agroecology Movement & our work in Viticulture

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Pilar AndrƩs

Soil biodiversity and its services to agricultura

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1st Regenerative Viticulture Conference

Pilar AndrƩs

Soil biodiversity and its services to agricultura

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James Sweetapple

The experience of Cargo Road Wines, in New South Wales (Australia)

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1st Regenerative Viticulture Conference

James Sweetapple

The experience of Cargo Road Wines, in New South Wales (Australia)

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Francesc Font

Regenerating vineyards to take care of the planet

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1st Regenerative Viticulture Conference

Francesc Font

Regenerating vineyards to take care of the planet

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Miquel Torres

Regenerative viticulture and climate change

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1st Regenerative Viticulture Conference

Miquel Torres

Regenerative viticulture and climate change

Allan Savory

Ecologist, founder and president of the Savory Institute, which promotes the restoration of grassland ecosystems on a global scale. A farmer from Zimbabwe, in the 1960s he understood the causes of the degradation and desertification of these ecosystems around the world and is dedicated to advising on agricultural and livestock management to create sustainable solutions. He is a promoter of holistic management, a methodology for planning and decision making that helps ranchers, farmers and other land managers better manage their resources to obtain environmental, economic and social benefits in a sustainable and regenerative way. He is the author of several books on holistic management.

Allan Savory

Ecologist, founder and president of the Savory Institute, which promotes the restoration of grassland ecosystems on a global scale. A farmer from Zimbabwe, in the 1960s he understood the causes of the degradation and desertification of these ecosystems around the world and is dedicated to advising on agricultural and livestock management to create sustainable solutions. He is a promoter of holistic management, a methodology for planning and decision making that helps ranchers, farmers and other land managers better manage their resources to obtain environmental, economic and social benefits in a sustainable and regenerative way. He is the author of several books on holistic management.

Darren J. Doherty

5th generation of farmers in Bendigo (Australia) with extensive experience in project design, development, management and training focused on the profitability and regeneration of large areas of land. He is the founder of Regrarians Ltd. and creator of the Regrarians Platform, which establishes a strategic and logical procedure for the development of regenerative agricultural systems, detailed in his book Regrarians Handbook. He is considered the world's leading expert on Keyline, a methodology that combines water conservation and soil regeneration.

Darren J. Doherty

5th generation of farmers in Bendigo (Australia) with extensive experience in project design, development, management and training focused on the profitability and regeneration of large areas of land. He is the founder of Regrarians Ltd. and creator of the Regrarians Platform, which establishes a strategic and logical procedure for the development of regenerative agricultural systems, detailed in his book Regrarians Handbook. He is considered the world's leading expert on Keyline, a methodology that combines water conservation and soil regeneration.

Pilar AndrƩs

Doctor of Science from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Researcher at CREAF (Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications). She is an expert in soil ecology and biodiversity, she works on the definition of indicators to assess the biological quality of the soil and its restoration, and also in the integrated planning of the territory and its ecological restoration. She currently coordinates projects and participates in initiatives aimed at the transformation of agricultural, forest or urban waste to facilitate its reuse in the soil, increasing its quality and carbon sequestration capacity.

Pilar AndrƩs

Doctor of Science from the Autonomous University of Barcelona and Researcher at CREAF (Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications). She is an expert in soil ecology and biodiversity, she works on the definition of indicators to assess the biological quality of the soil and its restoration, and also in the integrated planning of the territory and its ecological restoration. She currently coordinates projects and participates in initiatives aimed at the transformation of agricultural, forest or urban waste to facilitate its reuse in the soil, increasing its quality and carbon sequestration capacity.

James Sweetapple

Viticulturist and oenologist and owner, since 1997, of the Australian winery Cargo Road Wines, in the Orange region at 860 meters above sea level. He manages a 16 hectare vineyard holistically, using effective management techniques to ensure that they are always improving the land and the environment in a safe manner, while maintaining the sustainability of the business. He increases the organic matter in the soil and the general health of the soil to further develop the terroir.

James Sweetapple

Viticulturist and oenologist and owner, since 1997, of the Australian winery Cargo Road Wines, in the Orange region at 860 meters above sea level. He manages a 16 hectare vineyard holistically, using effective management techniques to ensure that they are always improving the land and the environment in a safe manner, while maintaining the sustainability of the business. He increases the organic matter in the soil and the general health of the soil to further develop the terroir.

Francesc Font

Vice-president of the Association of Regenerative Viticulture and co-founder of the technical consultancy Agroassessor. Author of several books and trainer in regenerative viticulture, Francesc is farmer and agricultural technical engineer, skilled in permaculture and farm design, holistic management, Keyline design, soil regeneration, Natural Korean Farming and he is aware, thanks to many years of experience, of the entire technological package proposed by the agri-food industry. He leads and works in his family estate Can Font, in EmpordĆ , and also, he is technical director at Son Felip and Algaiarens, in Menorca.

Francesc Font

Vice-president of the Association of Regenerative Viticulture and co-founder of the technical consultancy Agroassessor. Author of several books and trainer in regenerative viticulture, Francesc is farmer and agricultural technical engineer, skilled in permaculture and farm design, holistic management, Keyline design, soil regeneration, Natural Korean Farming and he is aware, thanks to many years of experience, of the entire technological package proposed by the agri-food industry. He leads and works in his family estate Can Font, in EmpordĆ , and also, he is technical director at Son Felip and Algaiarens, in Menorca.

Miquel Torres

CEO and 5th generation of Familia Torres, a family winery founded 150 years ago in PenedĆØs. It currently has 900 hectares of vineyards with organic certification in the PenedĆØs, Priorat, Conca de BarberĆ  and Costers del Segre. Strongly committed to the fight against climate change since 2008, Miguel Torres has wanted to go one step further and is leading an ambitious five-year agricultural plan to implement regenerative practices in more than 500 hectares of organic vineyards in Catalonia.

Miquel Torres

CEO and 5th generation of Familia Torres, a family winery founded 150 years ago in PenedĆØs. It currently has 900 hectares of vineyards with organic certification in the PenedĆØs, Priorat, Conca de BarberĆ  and Costers del Segre. Strongly committed to the fight against climate change since 2008, Miguel Torres has wanted to go one step further and is leading an ambitious five-year agricultural plan to implement regenerative practices in more than 500 hectares of organic vineyards in Catalonia.

Josep Ramon Sainz de la Maza

Agricultural engineer and regenerative agriculture consultant through GeaOrgĆ nica to improve farm management, soil fertility, and pest and disease control. He holds a masterā€™s degree in organic agriculture and livestock farming from the University of Barcelona and is a farmer and former conventional stockbreeder.

Josep Ramon Sainz de la Maza

Agricultural engineer and regenerative agriculture consultant through GeaOrgĆ nica to improve farm management, soil fertility, and pest and disease control. He holds a masterā€™s degree in organic agriculture and livestock farming from the University of Barcelona and is a farmer and former conventional stockbreeder.

Manel Badia

Expert in Keyline Design, Holistic Management and Regenerative Agriculture, accredited by the Savory Institute. CEO and founder of the Manel Badia team, Keyline Farm Design. We make global designs of organic and regenerative agriculture, these designs provide a solution to desertification and climate change. We recover the water cycle, capture carbon and regenerate the land. At the same time we produce healthy, nutritious food and improve efficiency and quality of life.

Manel Badia

Expert in Keyline Design, Holistic Management and Regenerative Agriculture, accredited by the Savory Institute. CEO and founder of the Manel Badia team, Keyline Farm Design. We make global designs of organic and regenerative agriculture, these designs provide a solution to desertification and climate change. We recover the water cycle, capture carbon and regenerate the land. At the same time we produce healthy, nutritious food and improve efficiency and quality of life.