Overview
Clifford Allan Redin Savory is a Zimbabwean ecologist, former soldier, farmer, rancher, and Rhodesian politician. He is the President Emeritus and co-founder of the Savory Institute. Savory originated holistic management, a systems thinking approach to managing resources. His professional life's work is told in the memoir UnSavory: African Stories of Wildlife, War and the Birth of Holistic Management.Holistic Management
Holistic management is a systems thinking approach to managing resources. Savory's core thesis involves using livestock grazing as a tool to reverse desertification and climate change. This approach integrates ecological principles with practical land management strategies.
Professional Background
Savory's background includes roles as a former soldier, farmer, and rancher. He also served as a Rhodesian politician. These experiences informed his development of holistic management.
Savory Institute
The Savory Institute is the organization co-founded by Savory. He serves as its President Emeritus. The institute promotes holistic management globally.
Memoir
Savory's memoir, UnSavory: African Stories of Wildlife, War and the Birth of Holistic Management, details his professional life's work. It covers his experiences in Africa, including wildlife, war, and the development of his management approach.
Early Life, Education and Career in Southern Africa
Clifford Allan Redin Savory was born in 1935 in what was then Southern Rhodesia, a region that would later become Zimbabwe. He pursued higher education at the University of Natal, completing his studies in 1955. Following his graduation, Savory embarked on a multifaceted career in Southern Africa, serving as a soldier, farmer, rancher, and politician during the Rhodesian era. His professional trajectory was significantly defined by his tenure as a Provincial Game Officer, a role that placed him at the forefront of wildlife management debates in the region.
Elephant Culling and the Petrides Commission
During his time as a Provincial Game Officer, Savory became deeply involved in the scientific and political discourse surrounding elephant population control. He contributed to early research on elephant culling, which was formalized through the Petrides Commission. This commission evaluated the efficacy of culling as a primary management tool for savanna ecosystems. The data from this period indicated that 30529 elephants were killed under the culling program. Despite this significant reduction in numbers, the elephant population grew from 44109 to 52583, challenging the prevailing assumptions about density-dependent population control.
Shift to Holistic Management
Savory later characterized the reliance on culling as a 'blunder' in ecological management. This realization marked a pivotal shift in his professional philosophy, moving away from single-species focus toward a more integrated approach. He began to develop what would become known as holistic management, a systems thinking approach to managing resources that considers ecological, social, and economic factors. This intellectual evolution laid the groundwork for his later work as the co-founder and President Emeritus of the Savory Institute. His experiences during this period, including the complexities of wildlife, war, and resource management, were later documented in his memoir, UnSavory: African Stories of Wildlife, War and the Birth of Holistic Management. The insights gained from the elephant culling data and the Petrides Commission directly influenced his departure from conventional ecological models.
Development of Holistic Management
Holistic management represents a systems-thinking approach to resource management, originating from the professional work of Clifford Allan Redin Savory. This theoretical framework was significantly influenced by the ecological philosophies of J.C. Smuts and André Voisin. The core concept involves Holistic Planned Grazing, which focuses on bunching and moving livestock to mimic natural wildlife patterns. This method aims to optimize land use and ecological health through strategic animal movement.
Institutional Development
The institutional evolution of this approach began with the founding of the Center for Holistic Management in 1984. This initial organization served as a primary vehicle for developing and testing the holistic management principles. The framework was further expanded with the establishment of the Africa Centre for Holistic Management in 1992. This center operated on a 2520-hectare property, providing a substantial area for practical application and research of the grazing systems.
Later, the Savory Institute was founded in 2009 to continue and expand the work of holistic management globally. The institute serves as the primary operator for these initiatives, maintaining an operational status focused on ecological restoration and resource management. The development of these organizations reflects the growing recognition of holistic management as a viable approach to addressing land degradation and optimizing agricultural systems. The theoretical basis continues to influence modern ecological practices, building on the foundational work of Savory and his predecessors.
Scientific Debate and Criticism
The application of holistic management has generated significant debate within the scientific community, particularly regarding the methodology's replicability and the scale of its claimed ecological benefits. Critics argue that the systems-thinking approach makes standard scientific replication difficult, as holistic management often involves multiple simultaneous variables rather than isolated controls. Prominent critics include James E. McWilliams, George Monbiot, and George Wuerthner, who have challenged the empirical rigor of Savory's claims.
Meta-analyses conducted between 1972 and 2016 have yielded mixed results regarding the efficacy of holistic management in reversing desertification and improving soil health. While some studies indicate positive outcomes, others suggest that results are highly context-dependent and not universally applicable. Specific research from 2011 and 2021 compared carbon sequestration rates in managed versus natural grasslands, finding that the difference in carbon storage was often marginal or statistically insignificant in many ecosystems.
Further challenges to the scale of carbon sequestration claims emerged from a 2016 study by the University of Uppsala and a 2017 analysis by the Food and Climate Research Network. These studies questioned the magnitude of carbon drawdown attributed to holistic grazing practices, suggesting that earlier estimates may have been overly optimistic. Despite these criticisms, Project Drawdown includes holistic management in its estimates, projecting a potential sequestration of 13.72 to 20.92 Gt CO2eq between 2020 and 2050. This range highlights the ongoing uncertainty and variability in modeling the climate impact of large-scale grazing interventions.
Why it matters
Allan Savory’s influence on global sustainability discourse is significant, particularly regarding the integration of livestock into climate mitigation strategies. As the originator of holistic management, a systems thinking approach to resource management, Savory has reshaped how farmers, ranchers, and policymakers view the ecological role of grazing animals. His work challenges conventional assumptions about land degradation and offers a framework for reversing desertification through managed grazing patterns.
Global Recognition and the 'Grazing Revolution'
Savory gained widespread international attention through his 2013 TED Talk, which introduced the concept of the 'Grazing Revolution'. This presentation highlighted the potential for cattle and other herbivores to sequester carbon and restore arid lands when managed holistically. The discourse sparked by this talk has influenced sustainability conversations globally, positioning livestock not merely as emitters of greenhouse gases but as potential agents of ecological restoration.
His contributions have been recognized by several prestigious awards. In 2003, Savory received the Banksia International Award, acknowledging his innovative approach to environmental management. In 2010, he was awarded the Buckminster Fuller Challenge, which came with a $100,000 prize. This award specifically recognized his work in addressing global challenges through systemic thinking and practical application.
Support and Participation in Global Initiatives
Savory’s work has garnered support from notable figures in the sustainability and agricultural sectors. Prince Charles has been a vocal supporter, endorsing the principles of holistic management and its potential to address environmental degradation. Additionally, renowned farmer and author Joel Salatin has championed Savory’s methods, further integrating them into broader discussions on regenerative agriculture.
Participation in the Virgin Earth Challenge further underscored the global interest in Savory’s approach. This initiative sought innovative solutions to climate change, and Savory’s holistic management framework was considered a viable strategy for large-scale carbon sequestration and land restoration. The challenge highlighted the intersection of ecological science and practical agricultural practices in addressing global environmental issues.
Impact on Farmers, Ranchers, and Policymakers
The broader impact of Savory’s work is evident in the shifting perspectives of farmers, ranchers, and policymakers. By demonstrating the potential for livestock to play a constructive role in climate mitigation, Savory has encouraged a reevaluation of traditional agricultural practices. This shift has led to the adoption of holistic management principles in various regions, influencing land-use policies and agricultural strategies worldwide. The integration of these practices into global sustainability discourse continues to shape the future of regenerative agriculture and ecological restoration efforts.
Bibliography and Legacy
Clifford Allan Redin Savory’s intellectual contributions are primarily documented through his published works, which serve as the foundational texts for the holistic management framework. The memoir UnSavory: African Stories of Wildlife, War and the Birth of Holistic Management provides the biographical and historical context for his professional life, detailing the experiences in Zimbabwe and Rhodesia that shaped his ecological theories. This work outlines the origin story of his life’s work, bridging his background as a soldier, farmer, and politician with his later scientific and managerial approaches. The Savory Institute, which he co-founded and where he serves as President Emeritus, continues to promote these concepts globally.
Key Publications
Alongside UnSavory, Savory’s bibliography includes Holistic Management and The Grazing Revolution. These texts elaborate on the systems thinking approach to resource management that he originated. Holistic Management is widely regarded as the primary technical manual for the methodology, providing the structured framework for decision-making in land management. The Grazing Revolution further explores the application of these principles to agricultural and ecological systems, emphasizing the role of livestock in restoring soil health and biodiversity. These works collectively define the theoretical and practical aspects of the Savory Institute’s mission.
Global Influence and Practitioner Network
The ongoing influence of Allan Savory is evident in the global network of practitioners who have adopted holistic management principles. The Savory Institute remains operational, continuing to train and certify land managers worldwide. This network spans diverse ecological zones, applying Savory’s systems thinking to address challenges such as desertification and climate change. The methodology has been implemented by farmers, ranchers, and conservationists, creating a widespread community of practice dedicated to restoring degraded lands. The legacy of Savory’s work is thus not only academic but also practical, with tangible applications in global land management strategies.