With a background in Dutch agriculture and development work, Eelke believes that cultivating healthy connections is essential not only for individuals and communities, but humanity in general and the global ecosystem.
In his 2001 PhD thesis, Networks as Living Tissue, he proposed that networks can be understood as living organisms. He has also developed a practical approach for working with them. The FAN Approach was refined through extensive research and hands on practice with over 120 farmers networks in the Netherlands.
Eelke loves to share his ideas and does do through workshops, training courses, lectures, facilitation and publishing. He believes that researchers can be more than detached observers, actively sharing in the learning process with stakeholders.
As in-house consultant at ZLTO (Southern Farmers Organisation in the Netherlands) he is presently involved in AgriSpin: an EU funded project, bringing 15 partner organisations from 12 European countries together to learn from each other and inspire each other in ways to support innovating farmers.