We all want to survive and thrive. Some of us live healthy, happy, long lives. Most people, farms, communities, and civilizations decline and disappear. Natural ecosystems are usually more resilient than systems managed by people. Resilient systems mitigate and adapt to wicked problems, such as climate change. How can human systems become as resilient as natural systems? 

One basic principle is working together. Solitary resilience is always transitory. Resilience requires teamwork. But there is an I in team. Every resilience team generates the leader needed at the moment.

In mid-2022 we presented the basic principals of resilience in seminars at Selale University in the Highlands of Ethiopia. The latest research in Climate Change and Agriculture is presented in this introduction to the workshops in Selale.

Creating Profitable Climate Smart Enterprises in the highlands of Ethiopia was another seminar topic at Selale University. See it here.

The best ecological resilience model, CLIMATED, is summarized in this presentation to faculty of Selale University in the Ethiopian highlands in August 2022,

Here’s an automated version to give you a taste of the above linked Selale University presentation.

The CLIMATED model has also been applied to US farm policy

Or try this powerpoint presentation on the best of resilience.

The COVID-19 disturbance created opportunities for transformative change in our food systems.  Here’s how ecological resilience is shown in food systems responding to covid.

HOW TO FIND RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF ANY DISRUPTION.  

The Resilience Project grew out of working with poor rural residents in the 7 state Delta region, where we have worked for 27 years as Delta Land & Community, with offices in Almyra, Arkansas.  As demand grew for resilience tools around the world, DLC formed the Resilience Project.  Today the two organizations are united as one. 

Delta Land & Community focuses mainly on federal and state policies which impact community and farm resilience. The federal work, with other members of National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, resulted in federal policy recommendations to increase resilience to climate change. State-level efforts created the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. Regional efforts led to the Delta Regional Authority. We continue to work at perfecting these institutions.

The Resilience Project coalesced at Meadowcreek, near Fox, Arkansas.  Four hundred acres of farm land are surrounded by thousands of acres of nature reserve creating a learning laboratory for ecology, resilient food systems, health and sustainable energy.  Our  location is a pristine valley which is one of the largest privately owned preserved tracts in the Ozark region. With a three-mile long meadow rimmed on both sides by high, rocky bluffs rising 500 feet above the canyon floor, it offers abundant wildlife, organic farmland, springs and swimming holes.  Meadowcreek enjoys the Ozarks’ generally mild climate and is home to the region’s typical plants and animals, as well as to varieties of flora and fauna that are usually found in more arid climates.

The Resilience Project’s existence is the result of the hard work of a series of committed individuals and organizations who, over the past 30 years, have sought solutions for surviving in a world where  extraction of limited natural resources, and reliance on costly external inputs are increasingly unsustainable.

Our Board of Directors, Residents, and Volunteers stand on the shoulders of ecologists and sustainable farmers who have pursued ecological resilience and sustainability for decades.  We are committed to sharing insights into sustainability and resilience learned over three decades of research and practical experience in the Delta, at Meadowcreek and the 40-plus countries where we have worked.  We invite you to come, work, learn, and be energized for sustainable change.

Read more:

POWERPOINTS OF OUR RELATED PRESENTATIONS

OUR LATEST REPORT ON RESILIENCE: Updated March 2018

HISTORY

LAND

PARTNERS OF RESILIENCE PROJECT