Regenerative agriculture is one of the greatest tools and opportunities for reversing the effects of climate change while increasing soil fertility, replenishing fresh water, and improving human health. Regenerative farming has been proven to reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and increase organic matter in the soil by sequestering carbon through increasing photosynthesis. The regenerative agriculture practice of building and maintaining living soils allows biology to make more nutrients available for the crop, thus reducing and even removing the need for synthetic inputs. While there are many different methods and techniques that make up regenerative agriculture based on context, the principles remain universal.
– Least Disturbance No/low till, no/reduced chemicals, less compaction.
– Living Roots Maximize photosynthesis, continue pumping liquid carbon sugars into the ground to feed microbes
– Soil Armor Keeps the soil covered with living plants or crop residue, wood chips, or mulch. Bare soil gets much hotter at midday & more vulnerable to wind/water erosion.
– Animal Integration Animals big and small play a pivotal role in nutrient cycling and regenerating landscapes.
– Increased Biodiversity of plants increases beneficial biodiversity below and above ground as well as increases the functionality and resilience of the ecosystem.
– Context No two farms are alike. From brittle environments to more moist ones, from different crops to livestock, from no funds to extensive funds, context is key. How you will go about regenerating land will vary and depend on many key components. A holistic framework is necessary to successfully transition to regenerative.