LIOS is a young NGO, founded by people from all walks of life who strongly believe that climate change is a soil problem. Our team of young soil advocates, UN professionals and regenerative agricultural farmers were bound together by a passion for soil and the desire to make a change.
LIOS was initially established under the name Growth4Peace in Vienna, Austria, who had the aim to advocate for the pressing global issue of desertification. We saw a TEDTalk on a Holistic Management method developed by the ecologist and livestock farmer, Allan Savory, and felt an overwhelming urge to play a part in the climate battle we all face today. We saw a promising solution in regenerative agriculture, however, noticed a very large knowledge gap and lack of awareness on the topic among policy makers. Ultimately, we decided to start this organisation, aiming to communicate, advise and help implement on the issue of soil degradation to two main players:
● global leaders, politicians, policy makers, and other stakeholders, who have the power to encourage and implement wide scaled changes;
● and developing, fragile countries and underprivileged communities, who are least equipped to deal with the rapid changes caused by today’s climate crisis.
Our Team
President
Afsar Rathor worked 25 years for the United Nations and lived in many different countries as a project coordinator. Since 2017 he works for ACUNS, while remaining involved in various different organizations.
Founder and Vice-President
Johanna was trained by the Savory Institute. Having spent her formative years on an organic farm, her youth in the Swiss Alps and her early twenties as a safari guide, her love for nature is deep rooted.
2nd Vice-President
Josef Siegele is the Vice-President of the UNCAV, the secretary-general of the European Ombudsman Institute and is one of the lawyers for the Austrian county of Tirol.
Treasurer
Felix Mayrhofer, a retired auditor, is very much interested in the environment as these - he believes - are crucial for our and our children's future. Felix has lived in Brazil and has helped NGOs in various activities.
Deputy Treasurer
Audrey is actively involved in LIOS marketing and strategy development, as well as media presence. She is also trained by the Savory Institute and has always had an interest in solutions to environmental issues along with desertification.
Secretary
Artur, a consultant and author, did his bachelor in biology with a focus on ecology at the University of Vienna, Austria, Faculty of Life Sciences. He continued his Masters in “Food Culture and Communication” at the University of Gastronomic Sciences, Pollenzo, Italy. He is currently writing his second book.
Deputy Secretary
A Regenerative farmer born and raised in the south of Austria on one of the first organic farms in Austria, he completed his secondary education in Agriculture as well as a University degree in Agriculture at the BOKU in Vienna (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences), he has continued to educated himself to farm with nature and not against nature for the climate as well as for higher nutritional content.