What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Agriculture is one of the oldest activities in human history. In the modern age, however, agriculture is not limited to food production; it also plays one of the most important roles in the climate crisis. Currently, nearly one third of GHG emissions worldwide stem from agricultural practices and food systems. Industrial agriculture methods challenges ecosystems with heavy water consumption, chemical fertilizer, and pesticide utilization. Soil erosion is increasing, biological diversity is decreasing, carbon balance is declining.
Looking from this perspective, agriculture is revealed to be both the reason for the crisis and the key to the solution. And regenerative agriculture steps in exactly at this point. Regenerative agriculture is an approach aiming to ensure not only sustainability, but also restoration of destroyed soils and ecosystems. In other words, it does not only conserve nature, but also aims to make it more productive, livelier, and more resilient.
In this article, we explore the definition, techniques, benefits, and examples of regenerative agriculture. Enjoy reading!
In the simplest terms, regenerative agriculture refers to the totality of agricultural practices that aim to restore the health of soil and to strengthen ecosystems services. Its difference from sustainable agriculture is rooted in its discontent with simply preserving the current condition. Sustainable agriculture aims “to reduce loss” while regenerative agriculture aims “to improve.”
There is soil at the center of this approach. Because soil is not only an area where plants grow; it is also one of the largest carbon storages on the planet. A healthy soil can capture carbon from the atmosphere to store it, it can retain water, it provides habitat to microorganisms and promotes biological diversity. And regenerative agriculture aims to strengthen this capacity.
Click here to check out our blog post titled ‘What is Ecological Balance?’
Regenerative agriculture can be practiced in numerous ways at various locations, but there are some fundamental principles:
● Having soil constantly covered with vegetation: Bare soil becomes vulnerable to erosion. Cultivating cover plants protects and feeds the soil.
● Diversity rather than monoculture: Growing various produces instead of uniform products ensures balance both for the soil and the ecosystem.
● Reducing chemical inputs: Organic methods are preferred over fertilizers and pesticides.
● Minimizing tillage: Frequently plowed soil loses its carbon content. Less-till soil is healthier.
● Integration with husbandry: Grazing animals provides natural fertilizer while also supporting the cycle of ecosystem.
These principles aim to reproduce nature’s own functioning. Human intervention is expected to play a restorative role rather than an abrasive one.
Click here to check out our blog post titled ‘What is Permaculture? How to Do It?’
The most important contribution of regenerative agriculture is that it restores the health of ecosystem. First of all, it increases the capacity for carbon storage. Healthy soil captures the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere to transform it into organic matter. Thus, it provides a direct solution for the climate crisis.
Secondly, it improves water cycle. An increase in the amount of organic matter in the soil enhances its capacity to absorb and hold water. And this enable the plants to be more resistant during the periods of drought. It also reduces the risks of flooding.
Thirdly, it promotes biological diversity. When diverse products are cultivated and chemical inputs are reduced, a more favorable habitat is formed for many living beings, from bugs to microorganisms. And this increases the resistance of the ecosystem.
Click here to check out our blog post titled ‘What is Biodiversity?’
Finally, it reduces erosion. Thanks to covering plants and minimum tillage, soil surface is protected, and losses are minimized. Thus, long-term productivity of agricultural fields is ensured.
Regenerative agriculture provides not only environmental benefits, but also strong advantages in economic terms. Although it seems expensive for farmers at the initial stages, it decreases input costs eventually. Utilization of less chemical fertilizers and pesticides reduces expenses of farmers.
As the fertility of the soil improves, the quality of the products also rises. And this means more nutritious foods as well as higher market value for farmers. Moreover, consumers are getting increasingly interested in the products “produced using regenerative methods.”
This has important contributions in social terms as well. It strengthens food security for local communities and makes agriculture more resilient in the face of market fluctuations. In other words, it enables farmers to build a more solid future both in ecological and financial terms.
Click here to check out our blog post titled ‘What is an Ecological Garden?’
There are many examples across the world pointing to the popularization of regenerative agriculture. Some farms in the USA operate using “carbon farm” model; they produce carbon credits by increasing the soil’s carbon sequestration capacity. And in Latin America, “agroforestry”, i.e., a method integrating agriculture and forestry, simultaneously supports both food production and ecosystem health.
Initiatives in this field are increasing in Türkiye as well. Some farms engaged in organic agriculture use regenerative methods to make the soil more resistant. Furthermore, big food companies also started to invest in regenerative agriculture in their supply chains. This indicates that this approach is not merely a niche option, but it has the potential to become mainstream in the future.
Click here to check out our blog post titled ‘What is Urban Agriculture?’
While regenerative agriculture holds great promise, it also poses certain challenges. First of all, scalability issue comes to the fore. Methods that can be successfully implemented in small farms do not always produce the same results on the gigantic industrial agricultural fields. Adopting these methods can be challenging, particularly for farmers who face the demands of achieving high yields in the short term.
Another issue is the lack of certification and inspection. Currently, there are standards specified for organic agriculture, but regenerative agriculture lacks clarity. This makes it difficult to determine which product was actually produced using regenerative methods. When companies use this concept as a marketing strategy, it increases the risk of “greenwashing”.
Furthermore, farmers have great need for education and financial support in the process of transition to regenerative agriculture. Public policies and support mechanisms are needed to learn and practice the new methods as well as to compensate for the short-term losses. Failing to provide for these needs, farmers can remain dependent on the conventional methods.
The future of regenerative agriculture will be shaped not only through the preferences of farmers, but also with global climate policies and consumer behaviors. It is imperative to transform agriculture to achieve 2050 net zero goals. Regenerative agriculture can play a key role in this transformation.
And consumer awareness can accelerate this process. People started to value not only organic products, but also products that heal the soil, and store carbon. Big food brands starting to make investment in regenerative agriculture shows that this trend is getting stronger.
And technological advancements will also support this method. Sensors monitoring soil health, digital agriculture applications and satellite data will make it possible to measure the impacts of regenerative agriculture more transparently. And this can increase trust and popularity for the method.
Regenerative agriculture is not only a production technique; it is also a new perspective regarding our relationship with nature. Sustainable agriculture focuses on preserving the current condition while regenerative agriculture aims to restore degenerated ecosystems. With this aspect, it is one of the most promising approaches against climate crisis.
Of course, it has its own limitations and challenges like every other solution. However, regenerative agriculture can become the mainstream model in the future with correct policies, consumer demand, and support to be provided to farmers. In an era marked by an escalating climate crisis, this method that rejuvenates the soil presents a novel opportunity for both nature and humanity.