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Regenerative Development
Regenerative development goes beyond sustainability by actively restoring and revitalizing ecosystems, communities, and economies. It emphasizes interconnectedness, recognizing that true well-being arises from nurturing harmony between humans and the natural world.
At Vcil Community, regenerative development is at the heart of our mission. We work to create systemic change by fostering holistic education, building resilient communities, and supporting purpose-driven social enterprises. We aim to regenerate relationships, ecosystems, and economies through collaborative efforts, empowering individuals and organizations to co-create a flourishing, equitable future for all.
Regenerative Education:
Living Soil, Living Souls
Uniting for a Better Tomorrow
Land and water are two invaluable natural resources that form the foundation for a happy, abundant, and meaningful life. However, one of the pressing global environmental issues today is the increasing degradation of soil and desertification, as well as the loss of biodiversity caused by chemical-intensive farming practices—accelerated since the advent of the Green Revolution. This has also led to severe groundwater pollution and scarcity, resulting in a lack of clean water for daily living, not to mention the insufficient water supply for other economic activities.
To contribute to a vision of a sustainable world and share valuable knowledge and lessons on soil and water management, as well as soil regeneration, from communities that have been restoring these critical resources, The Soil Project and Vcil Community are collaborating with Mab Ueang Agri-Nature Foundation and SEP Academy to organize an international training program on the theme “Sufficiency Economy Philosophy: Living Soil, Living Souls".
Empowering Community Through Regeneration
1. The immersive learning program at Mab Ueang Agri-Nature Center will guide participants in exploring the principles and practical applications of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy through hands-on, real-world activities. Together, we will learn how to manage and design land to nurture the soil and preserve clean water, discover ways to achieve food self-sufficiency, and build a network of like-minded individuals. Additionally, participants will have opportunities to visit other sustainable development initiatives and engage in discussions with leaders in this field in Thailand.
2. World Soil Day (December 5): Designated by the United Nations, World Soil Day aims to raise awareness about the importance of soil health and promote sustainable land resource management. To celebrate this occasion, the Natural Agriculture Network hosts an annual event, welcoming thousands of participants from across Thailand. These attendees bring agricultural goods and products from their hometowns to share and showcase the fruits of their application of the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy.
They present their finest offerings, including food, beverages, art, seeds, and handicrafts, inviting all festival-goers to enjoy and admire them. Moreover, they transform the 7-hectare space of Mab Ueang into an expansive learning environment, offering visitors the chance to immerse themselves in the philosophy and practices of sustainable agriculture.
3. In March, the program coincided with the annual Natural Agriculture Network Festival, celebrating the legacy of Dr. Wiwat Salyakamthorn, founder of Mab Ueang and advocate for King Bhumibol's Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. Thousands showcased their products, many priced symbolically or given freely, embodying values of sharing and abundance.
Mab Ueang’s 7-hectare site transformed into a massive learning space, offering workshops on sustainable practices, cultural heritage preservation, and rural resilience. Cultural exchanges featured performances from Vietnam, Bhutan, and New Zealand, fostering unity and showcasing traditions.
The event highlighted the practicality of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and its potential to inspire sustainable, community-driven solutions globally.
Climate Action
REGENERATING SOIL AND WATER MOVEMENT IN VIETNAM
Our civilization is based on agriculture. The widespread of Green Revolution characterized by synthetic chemicals has heavily deteriorated the quality of the soil. The diverse pool of genes from traditional seeds and heirlooms is reduced to corporate-controlled commodities. Monocropping and intensive irrigation lead to deforestation and scarcity of fresh water. Farmers fall into the vicious debt trap while countryside is becoming empty. As the unpredictably changing climate unfold, our agriculture system is vulnerable to catastrophic shocks.
Food sovereignty and sufficiency is the foundation for a resilient and sustainable economy. Therefore, Vcil Community works to build strong network to regenerate our “true wealth” - the soil, river, wetland, forest, culture and indigenous community. Inspired by Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) of King Rama IX, we partnerd with the Agri-Nature network of Thailand to offer training on SEP, regenerative agriculture, reforestation and reclaiming traditional communities. We bring back traditional knowledge of soil revitalization, water management and seed saving.
Besides, Vcil Community also send volunteers and interns to local communities around Vietnam to support hands-on work as well as exchange knowledges. The network is also strengthen by bringing experienced practitioners from Thailand to collaborate with indigenous and local farmers in Vietnam in doing the ecological and organic movement.
Following two training programs in Thailand (September 18-30, 2023, and March 8-18, 2024), participants began applying the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy on their land, encouraging community involvement. To address challenges in land and water management in the local context, practitioners from Mab Ueang Agrinature Center visited communities from April 15-24, 2024, providing hands-on guidance.
During our time in Vietnam, we visited four ethnic communities across three provinces in the South Central Coast, conducting experiments and assessing local conditions. In Bình Thuận province, we learned about the Raglai people, who face significant disruptions due to land sales, monoculture, and excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Water sources are depleting and pollution is increasing, exacerbated by extreme weather patterns.
We also visited other communities to evaluate their efforts in applying SEP knowledge. In Lâm Đồng province's Churu community Ma Đanh – K’Típ, we listened to elders recounting their once-prosperous lives reliant on abundant streams and forests. Today, monoculture and technological techniques have led to dry streams, barren soil, and rising production costs, pushing villagers into debt. Water management emerged as a crucial challenge, with severe drought and lack of clean water being common issues.
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In Ma Đanh - K'tip, the Mab Ueang team shared rainwater harvesting methods, including a system of ponds connected by canals around the land. Additionally, preserving hilltop trees is essential as they act like sponges, recharging groundwater, re-store ecological balance.
After this, we keep sending young people to volunteer at those local community. It helps young people see the reality by their own eyes and understand the current societal and environmental challenges.
In Phú Yên, we visited an alumna, Mrs. Võ Phi Yến, founder of Nhà Cỏ, a sustainable living initiative. Her team is transforming a 3000-square-meter plot in Vân Hòa village into a self-sufficient learning center based on natural farming principles. After participating in our training program, Yến is actively applying SEP knowledge to restore ecological balance. We advised designing a water management system and building a kiln to produce activated charcoal.