Healing , Sanskrit and Organic Farming in South Africa

Dr. Raymond Auerbach, who celebrated his 53rd birthday on 24 September 2006, is currently Director of  the Rainman Landcare Foundation, an Educational Trust which is accredited with the AgriSETA to provide training for farmers [National Certificate in Mixed Farming Systems (Organic) – a nine month full time course at National Qualification Framework (NQF) Level 2], and also training for Organic Facilitators [National Certificate in Ladcare Facilitation (Organic) at NQF Level 5 (post-matric), a six month part-time course comprising six two week modules with assignments].

Rainman Landcare Foundation was founded by Raymond in 2000, and has developed a solid track record.  Most of the graduates of the farming learnership are now farming organically, and many of the Organic Facilitators are either running farmer production projects or training other farmers in some of the groups formed with the help of Rainman Landcare Foundation staff.

(Photo: Raymond in action at his current Facilitator Training Course on his farm.)

There are currently 21 people working in the team, although recent cutbacks by government on agricultural training are currently threatening the future of the organisation.

Raymond is also currently involved on the editorial board of the Journal of International Agricultural Extension Education, as a researcher for the European Union funded programme on Indigenous Vegetable Production in Urban and Peri-urban Areas of Africa, with the EU Gijima Programme (developing SMMEs in KwaZulu-Natal), and with the founding of Zulu Organics, a tertiary level co-operative which is setting up Quality Management Systems for Primary (Production) Co-ops and Secondary (Packhouse) Co-ops.

Raymond has written several books, and many scientific and popular papers.  Recent publications include his fifty year strategic plan for the development of the organic industry in Southern Africa (available from Rainman Landcare Foundation at R200), and his doctoral thesis (Design for Participation in Ecologically Sound Management of South Africa’s Mlazi River Catchment, 1999 – Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands).

Current projects include revision of the Manuals for Organic Farmers and Organic Facilitators, a book on South African Heroes and a book on The Miracle of Speech: Science, Spirit and Sanskrit.

Raymond is married and has three young adult children.  His wife Christina is a Music Therapist and Energy Medicine Healer.  They live on their small organic farm near Durban, where both the healing and organic training take place.