For a moment, the Wichelroede seemed back at Wageningen University

Does Wichelroedelopen belong to sustainable agriculture? It looked like it at Wageningen University (WUR).

A four -week student course about the development of a sustainable agricultural system promised introduction to alternative techniques such as Wichelroedelopen, but also “systemic setups” with nature, “music in which the notes are linked to certain amino acids,” and “biodynamic preparations with astral forces”.

That, according to an announcement, would all be “essential parts of a new agriculture”. Eleven teachers, including pensioners of the WUR – who call themselves on the program ‘Wurried’ – would give the course. These are former employees, with a background in agro-ecology or biodynamic agriculture, practical experts with their own ecoboertoerderij, but also a former student of students, a skills coach and a self-proclaimed movement thinker.

How does such pseudo science get breeding ground for a serious agricultural university? Spokesperson Jan Willem Bol of the university says that the initiative came from the retired organic farming researcher Kees van Veluw. He offered it at the Education and Learning Research Group. There they wanted to try it as a pilot. And indeed, says professor Arjen Wals by e -mail, who is affiliated with the department. He is working on ‘a different way of learning’ that offers ‘solutions’ for a transition to sustainable agriculture. “The profession introduces an alternative view of the agricultural nature relationship and offers a different view of science: a relational holistic view instead of the usual rational reductionist view.” And that can sand with the usual, says Wals.

They only forgot the idea of ​​presenting the course at the head of the chair group and the university training committee.

When the Dean of Educationprofessor Arnold Bregt, got a breath after questions from NRCit immediately went through a line. Spokesperson Bol is still trying to explain: “We all want to work on a future with a full agricultural system to be kept. It is important that we also look at non-comprehensive producing food ways. But the methods must be scientifically supported and tested. That is insufficient here. “

The Wageningen institution came in 2006 once in the news with research into gnomesEarth men and a Spirituality and Science course, in which a medium came into contact with the deceased Indian White Bull – thoughts with which classical natural science thinking cannot do much, because theories must be testable and refutable.

SKEPSIS Foundationwho looks critically at pseudoscience, responds fiercely when inquiring. Chairman and UvA professor Eric-Jan Wagenmakers mainly sees “many vague terms” and “little mention about publications in scientific top magazines” that support claims. Initiator Kees van Veluw did not want to respond to content.

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