The latest from the Barefoot Guide Agroecology Series

Restoring our Home in Nature

THE STORY AND PRACTICE OF THE
AFRICAN BIODIVERSITY NETWORK

BY THE AFRICAN BIODIVERSITY NETWORK BAREFOOT GUIDE WRITER’S COLLECTIVE
In this Barefoot Guide you will find the story of the African Biodiversity Network’s transformative journey, including stories from our members of the unique practices that have been supporting communities across Africa to reconnect to their roots and to nature.
 
This story of origin shows how culture and tradition are inspired by natural phenomena, giving birth to life-sustaining knowledge. This is indigenous knowledge held by elders and custodians of the Earth community and passed down through observation, participation, and practices rather than books. Indeed, storytelling around the fire, dialogue, and nature observation foster inter-generational learning beyond the classroom or book learning.
 
This Guide highlights the rich, inter-generational knowledge within African communities, emphasising ABN’s learning journey and respect for the ancestral wisdom of elders often overlooked in governmental “development planning”. It portrays stories from ABN partners across Africa, illustrating the transformative power of collaboration in reviving indigenous roots and reimagining sustainable futures. The ABN effectively addresses challenges by employing proven methods, forging alliances, countering unsuitable development approaches, and proposing resilient and sustainable alternatives.
 
We hope that this ABN Barefoot Guide will inspire readers to become more proactive contributors to sustainable livelihoods that embrace all life forms on Earth and promote living in harmony with nature.
Preview the ABN Barefoot Guide below
​​This is ABN's remarkable story and practice, being released on the occasion of their 20th anniversary.  The Guide includes many real stories from ABN members, accompanied by perspectives and valuable reflections and learning from their experiences.
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WHAT HAVE OTHERS SAID ABOUT THE bAREFOOT gUIDES...

The Barefoot Guides have been the key influences in my life and work… my constant companions in my community and organisational development work. 
Marie Corcoran-tindill, Trainer, Facilitator of community and group processes, Dublin 

The Barefoot initiative is itself an exciting expression of social change. 
Inez Hackenberg, Utrecht University 

As a trained action learning facilitator their guides have helped me work with grassroots communities in Myanmar and Thailand. 
Kevina Maddick, Program Manager at Right To Play, Bangkok 

The Barefoot Guide's transformative process… shows us the way to transcend borders, sectors, limits, to break the silos! 
Vincent Stevaux, ITECO, Bruxelles

Barefoot Guide has been creating phenomenal content for the critical process of experiential reflection at both individual and organizational levels. 
Jesse Chen, Changemakers, Washington 

…a wonderful contribution to open access knowledge, grounded on a great depth of experience and horizontal learning from across the world. 
Samantha Button, East Africa Program Head, Maliasili 

…the Barefoot Guide collection is having a great influence, especially the lives of field workers and communities. 
Muta Wakilu Tamasco, Ghana 

The Barefoot Guide Connection has a unique and truly transformational approach to collaboration, learning and facilitating social, transformational change across borders. 
Tobias Troll Director, EDGE Europe at EDGE Funders Alliance, Bruxelles 

This unusual and exceptional volume (and series) is hugely accessible yet deeply rooted in solid theory and extensive practice across a wide range of contexts and fields. Expect from it something truly unique in its combination of insight, reflection, experience and highly usable mixed text/visual presentation. It is not "dumbed down." I have seen it bite as deeply at high academic and professional level as at grassroots community leadership level, an astonishing achievement worth honouring. 
Professor Jim Cochrane Cape Town 

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