This week we launched a new film, showcasing Haller’s work through past, present and future lenses. The Haller Journey began in 1959 when Rene Haller embarked on an ambitious project to transform a 7 square km area of land used for excavating limestone to make cement. Through extensive experimentation with different kinds of trees, he succeeded in establishing a green space in a former wasteland. As Dr Haller explains, creating a forest was not his final goal.
“I wanted to create an ecosystem that supported animals and birds” and that would ultimately go on to support local communities. Our vision at Haller has always been for ecology and economy, establishing a reality in which people not only work to protect the environment, but directly contribute to its improvement through regenerative practices. In Kenya, we have worked to provide the knowledge, tools and physical infrastructure for regenerative farming in 56 communities to date.
This work has helped communities create more sustainable food systems, which has had a positive impact on overall health through improved nutrition and education as parents can afford to send children to school. We believe that our work can only be truly valuable if it is holistic and forward thinking. In the film, our team speaks about the importance of engaging the next generation through our partnerships with local primary schools, weekly outreach sessions and youth farming program. As James Konde, our Farmer Training and App Development lead, explains, “We need to create awareness that you don’t live today and forget tomorrow.”
Our work with the next generation has become increasingly important as the impacts of climate change become increasingly apparent in the daily lives of smallholder communities. Drought connected to global warming has forced humans and animals into ever closer contact as ecosystems can no longer support wildlife. Our team works to educate communities about how they can live in greater harmony with animals, and how they can adapt to changing conditions to retain food security.
The knowledge of Dr Haller, and our team in Kenya, has been distilled into the Haller Farmers App. Through the app, we can place vital information into the hands of those most impacted by climate change around the world. Helping smallholder farmers to adapt and thrive in uncertain and unpredictable conditions. The film is an entrant in this year’s Smiley Charity Film Awards.
You can vote for Haller’s film here: https://smileycharityfilmawards.com/videos/ecology-economy If you are interested in supporting our work or partnering with Haller please get in touch, and follow us across our socials for future updates. Credits: Filmed by Leo Lightfoot, produced by Max Haller, Chloe Ford Welman and The Haller Foundation.
