Lindsay Falvey
John Lindsay Falvey (born May 23, 1950) known as Lindsay Falvey, is a writeron topics concerning agricultural philosophy, religion and international development. He is a member for life of Clare Hall, Cambridge, at the University of Cambridge, and is a professor of the University of Melbourne, where he was previously Chair of Agriculture, Dean of Land and Food Resources, Dean of Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture.
Biography
Falvey was born in Melbourne, Australia of Kenneth Robert Leslie Falvey and Dororthy Elizabeth Falvey (nee Christopher); he has one brother Russell Leslie Falvey. From 1971 to 2002, Falvey was married to Janice Patricia Daly; they have two sons, Leslie Kenneth Falvey and Christopher John Falvey. His parents encouraged education from their working class origins and after completing schooling at Deepdene State and Balwyn High schools, Falvey studied agricultural science at the newly established La Trobe University in suburban Melbourne.
During his initial degree, he took various in-term and vacation jobs, including labouring and mustering cattle at Douglas Daly Experiment Station in the Northern Territory of Australia, while also taking a Methodist Local Preaching qualification. Supported through his studies by his parents and a cadetship from the Northern Territory government, he moved to work for that government in Darwin, from where he conducted research and other work on the Douglas Daly Experiment Station for five years to the beginning of 1976.
During those years, his research was awared a Masters degree through La Trobe University. Disrupted by Cyclone Tracy at Christmas Eve 1974, Falvey began searching for international development positions that suited his perceived vocation, and was appointed to research livestock as an alterative to opium production in the northern Thailand highlands. The research uncovered a primary sodium deficiency through much of the region and a part of his research formed the basis of his PhD, which was granted by the University of Queensland in 1980.
Falvey then joined a small commercial cooperative delivering international aid for rural development which became known as MPW Australia, of which he soon became Managing Director. With contributions from his professional colleagues, MPW grew into a sizable consulting company and was purchased by the Coffey International to become Coffey-MPW, of which he was Managing Director until 1993. During this consulting period, he maintained an active academic interest and published regularly in learned journals, while also working in some 20 countries. His first books, on Cattle in northern Thailand and Working Animals were published in this period.
In 1995, he was asked by the University of Melbourne to assume the role of Dean of a combined faculty of eight campuses with the task of merging the six colleges of the Victorian College of Agriculture and Horticulture with the university's ongoing departments related to agriculture and forestry. Completing the merger task and setting in place the adjustments required by the merger, he stepped down as Dean while retaining the Chair of Agriculture. Falvey was awared a higher doctorate (D.Agr.Sc.) by the University of Melbourne in 2004 for his work over thirty years. He has been elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering since 1997, of his profession's institute since 1971, and in 2003 was awarded the Australian Centenary Medal for his services to rural development internationally and at home.
His most significant writing began during his term as Dean. An evolution of thought is evident from his work on Food, Environment, Education, through his joint book with Barry Bardsley on Agricultural Education in Victoria, to his acclaimed work on Thai Agriculture. This work includes the seed of his Buddhism-related philosophy applied in less-developed country development and agriculture, a theme expanded in his work 'Sustainability Elusive or Illusory' and his 2005 classic 'Religion and Agriculture: Sustainability in Christianity and Buddhism'.
Major Contributions
Falvey's major contributions have been three-fold. First is his presentation of agriculture and food as something conceptually separate from all other non-basic needs and hence requiring different mindsets for development planning and economics, as included in his book on Sustainability. Second has been his relating of the teachings of Buddha and Jesus including an interpretation of the Christian Gospels into Buddhist language in his book, 'The Buddha's Gospel'. Third is his relating of religion and personal spirituality to the natural environment using agriculture, the most widespread human intervention in nature, as the example to draw from ancient scriptures and modern philosophy - as detailed in his book on Religion and Agriculture.
Sample of Writings
- Religion and Agriculture: Sustainability in Christianity and Buddhism. c.350pp. (2005) Institute for International Development/ Silkworm Books.
- Karn Kaset Thai (in Thai Language) 476pp.Kasetsart University Press, Bangkok. (translation of publication 5.)2005
- Sustainability: Elusive or Illusory? Wise Environmental Intervention. 245pp. Institute for International Development (2004)
- The Buddha’s Gospel: A Buddhist Interpretation of Jesus’ Words. Institute for International 108pp. (2002)
- Thai Agriculture: Golden Cradle of Millennia. Kasetsart University Press/White Lotus, Bangkok. 490pp (2000)
- Smallholder Dairying in the Tropics (co-authored with Charan Chantalakhana), International Livestock Research Institute CGIAR 447pp. (1999)
- Land and Food: Agricultural and Related Education in the Victorian Colleges and the University of Melbourne (co-authored with Barrie Bardsley), Institute of Land and Food Resources, University of Melbourne, 266pp (1997)
- Food Environmental Education: Agricultural Education in Natural Resource Management, The Crawford Fund and the Institute for International Development.(1996)
- International Consulting: Providing Services to International Development Agencies 185pp. Institute for International Development, Melbourne.(1994)
- Introduction to Working Animals; 200p (ISBN 1862529922); Falvey Consulting, Melbourne (1988).
- Cattle and Sheep in Northern Thailand; 104p; Tiphanetr Press, Thailand. 104pp (1979)
Full texts of most books can be also found be found the web.
Other Information
Other information is available in Who's Who, and on the web.