Farming has always played a crucial role in the growth of human civilisation, allowing people to pursue other interests beyond mere survival. As the world’s population expands, however, so has our food consumption. Approximately one third of land on our planet is used for agriculture, while food production is responsible for 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions 1. In addition, the aggressive farming methods we have developed to supply vast quantities of produce have resulted in soil damage that is so extensive that experts fear that in 50 years 2 there will not be enough arable soil left to feed ourselves.
In response to this crisis, many farmers and food industry players are turning to regenerative agriculture as a transformative approach to farming, aiming not only to provide food but also to heal the damage done to the planet’s topsoil.
What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Regenerative agriculture seeks to create positive outcomes: restoring and revitalising the health and quality of the land and even improving productivity. Unlike conventional farming, which often relies on monoculture, excessive pesticide use and tilling that degrades the soil, regenerative agriculture emphasises principles that promote soil health, biodiversity and ecological balance. Here are some of the key principles of regenerative agriculture:
- 1.) Minimal Soil Disturbance: Maintaining the delicate ecosystems that exist in the soil is a top priority of regenerative agriculture. Just one teaspoon of soil contains approximately 1 billion microscopic cells and 10,000 different species 3, so reducing the amount of soil disturbance that takes place, by using no-till or low-till farming methods, can help to retain organic matter and prevent erosion.
2.) Plant Cover Crops: Cover crops, such as legumes or grasses, are planted in between cash crops to prevent erosion, suppress weeds and improve soil structure. These crops also help to produce nitrogen, an essential element for plant biology, which reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers.
3.) Diverse Crop Rotations: Growing just one type of crop is an imbalance that does not take place in nature and can damage the health of the soil. Regenerative farmers rotate a variety of crops to help break pest and disease cycles and enhance the soil’s fertility.
4.) Integrate Grazing Animals: Combining crops and livestock is a principle which mimics natural ecosystems, where herbivores graze and help to cycle nutrients back into the soil. Additionally, it allows the land to rest in between cash crop harvests, improving its overall health and quality.
5.) Biodiversity: Encouraging biodiversity is another essential principle of regenerative agriculture. By fostering diverse ecosystems with various plant and animal species, farmers can enhance ecological resilience and reduce the need for chemical interventions.
Regenerative Agriculture and Climate Change
There are numerous benefits to regenerative agriculture for farmers, consumers and the environment, but perhaps the most significant is the ability to sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Recent studies show that by using regenerative agriculture practices, more than 100% of current annual CO2 emissions could be sequestered 4 5 in the soil, which would not just slow down climate change, but actually reverse it.
Additionally, using effective water management practices reduces the risk of droughts and floods, natural disasters which are intensified by climate change, as every 1% increase in soil organic matter increases the soil’s ability to hold water by 20,000 gallons per acre 6.
Regenerative agriculture is not a new idea, but it is one that is becoming increasingly important as it is a promising solution to the ever-looming climate crisis and the danger of damaging our planet’s topsoil past the point of no return. As more farmers and consumers alike turn to these sustainable practices, the future of agriculture is a hopeful one, proving that there are realistic ways to harmoniously coexist with our environment while repairing the harm that has been done.
Author: Shirley Carruthers - Content Creator at ParkerSteel
References:
1.Frontiersin Article
2.Our World in Data
3.CEH Soil Microbes Leaflet
4.Rodale White Paper
5.Tandfonline Article
6.NRDC Article