Regenerative Farming: The Looming Threat of Soil Degradation

Globally, we are losing approximately 24 billion tons of topsoil each year. This loss threatens food production and pushes ecosystems to the brink. Conventional farming practices, including heavy tilling and chemical inputs, rob the soil of its nutrients and degrade its structure. This impacts not just the crops we grow, but also the natural ecosystems that support life.

Grapes at the Kiritiri Farm, Embu

Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming which seeks to improve the land and surrounding environment by increasing biodiversity and resilience. There is a strong focus on improving soil health. Essentially, the aim is for farmers to foster agricultural management practices that work in alignment with natural processes, though the term Regenerative Agriculture doesn’t always neatly sit under one definition.

Regenerative farming has similarities to other overlapping concepts like permaculture and agroecology.

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1. Permaculture

This is essentially a design philosophy concerning energy transfers, but elements of it can be found on regenerative farms and smallholdings.

2. Agroecology

This is a wider movement, focusing on system change, land reform and social justice. With roots in the less developed, developing and under developed countries, it prioritizes soil health and nature-friendly farming practices, but also seeks to empower marginalized producers and generate alternative markets. Organic farming also shares elements with regenerative agriculture, eliminating chemical inputs and capitalizing on nature’s own bioprocesses. However, it relies on well-regulated certification schemes which may not be accessible to all.

Transitioning to regenerative practices can offer numerous benefits, including:

• Help in mitigating climate change by storing carbon in the soil.
• Enhancing food security by producing healthier, more resilient crops.

Understanding the Principles of Regenerative Farming

Unlike conventional farming, regenerative methods aim to minimize disturbance to the natural, ecological processes happening within the farm environment. Several underlying principles guide these practices; these are:

1. Enhance biodiversity

Growing a wide variety of crops has many benefits: they attract a broader range of wildlife, insects and soil microbes, all of which strengthen the local ecosystem and make plants more resilient. One ‘side-effect’ of climate change is an array of new pests and diseases with the potential to destroy entire harvests. Such scenarios devastate the income of small-scale farmers, so creating a diverse local ecosystem that helps plants withstand attacks is really important. Many wildlife species are natural pest controllers; these can replace the use of artificial pesticides, which have a devastating impact on essential pollinating insects, micro fauna and even human health.

On regenerative farms, biodiversity is purposefully welcomed through planting hedgerows or wildflower borders, maintaining areas of trees around farms, keeping the ground covered in fallow periods with ‘cover crops’, installing nesting boxes for birds and bats, and using layered planting Prioritize soil health

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Improving soil health is key part of regenerative agriculture. This is achieved by protecting the top soil from erosion, adding organic matter back to the soil and minimizing use of chemical inputs, such as artificial fertilizers and pesticides. Farmers will typically avoid ploughing or digging because this disrupts the complex structure of soil – the fungal networks, air pockets and microbial life. This is known as no till farming. Instead organic matter is applied to the land which helps to improve water infiltration, moisture retention and nutrient absorption.

Ideally, soil is never left bare: consistent plant coverage allows carbon to be sequestered or drawn down from the atmosphere into the soil. The potential for agriculture to reduce the amount of harmful carbon dioxide in our atmosphere is often overlooked, but the figures are staggering: globally, 489 billion tons of  carbon dioxide of burning fossil fuels.

2. Integrate animals

The presence of animals allows for more elements of circular farming to be adopted. Their manure or dung provides an effective soil fertilizer, and they may also consume some farm waste. Grazing livestock are beneficial for weed control, microbial diversity and soil aeration.

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3. Resurgence of traditional or indigenous practices

Many regenerative practices are similar to the traditional farming methods which sadly declined amidst the popularity of chemical fertilizers and the pressure to produce higher yields. Local knowledge of plants, cropping techniques and the weather now seems as critical to support climate change adaptation, was considered inferior to the knowledge developed by scientists and researchers and therefore not supported by governments. But regenerative techniques are giving due respect to ancestral or indigenous knowledge and practices. In our collaborative work with communities, we frequently discover brilliant but neglected solutions that were in existence for centuries, and simply need scaling up and combining with wider systems to be even more effective.

The benefits of Regenerative Farming 

Approximately half of the earth’s habitable surface is used for agriculture, so the choices farmers make have an immense impact for the future of our environment and natural resources. But at a time when food producers across the world have to balance the pressures of securing an income with adapting to increasingly extreme and irregular weather patterns, is it fair to position farmers as stewards of our land as well? The good news is, regenerative farming has the potential to sustain yields and profits whilst preserving and working with nature.

a. Farming that works for the planet

As we’ve seen, embracing a ‘no soil, no food’ approach and minimizing artificial fertilizers and pesticides results in greater biodiversity, creating a positive feedback loop across the local ecosystem. Many sustainable farming initiatives also involve a revival of indigenous wisdom and traditional techniques, which often embody a greater respect for nature and our intrinsic relationship as part of it. And when it comes to climate resilient farming, the benefits of regenerative practices are heralded as holding greater scope to adapt to floods, droughts and other extreme weather events. On top of this, the methods used all contribute to either keeping carbon dioxide in the soil or capturing and sequestering it through crop coverage. Many argue that regenerative agriculture has the potential to significantly cool the climate if adopted on a large enough scale.

Regenerative Farming by Intercropping

b. Farming that works for people

Regenerative agriculture can significantly improve the sustainability of food production leading to better profits for farmers and, ultimately, making farming a more reliable source of income amidst these challenges times.

Regenerative methods can lower the cost of operational inputs in many contexts. For example, since the focus is on maintaining healthy, nutrient-rich soils that can absorb and store more moisture, there is less need for expensive fertilizer. When the soil is healthier and the local ecosystem is thriving, there is also less need to spend on fungicides or insecticides, since nature’s own predators can keep infestations in check. On top of this, a no till approach reduces the cost of equipment, labor and sometimes fuel.

By reducing the use of chemicals it reduces health risks to farmers and their families. Greater diversity of crops means that the food security of farming households is enhanced. Farming households benefit from improved local water resources and micro-climate.

c. Farming that works for the most vulnerable

The current agricultural system isn’t working for smallholder farmers in the poor countries many of whom are women. They lose out at every stage from having to cope with soil degradation and low yields in often challenging, remote locations to dealing with local climate struggles, such as water access or landslides. Even if they do achieve a good harvest, they often struggle to access markets or integrate into commercial value chains because they cannot produce the quality and quantity of produce required. Many Governments around the worlds cannot support them or invest in traditional agricultural extension services.

Farmers located in areas affected by extreme weather are living in extreme hardship. Climate change threatens their very survival. But through our work with rural farmers in remote regions, we’ve discovered that even in the most extreme drought or flood conditions, farmers can use regenerative agriculture to restore health to the soil and grow food.

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Regenerative Agriculture in practice

In Kenya, there is an NGO that has been working with young people in two counties since 2019 to break the cycles of poverty and rural-to-urban migration. By using technology to connect to markets and share their knowledge, and through the adoption of powerful circular farming techniques, such as using vermiculture to turn livestock manure and organic waste into compost and natural fertilizer, young farmers are not only setting a new trend in environmentally friendly farming, but also securing a better income. They now see agriculture as a viable career option and don’t need to flock to the city.

Challenges and Opportunities in Regenerative Farming

Transitioning to regenerative practices, farmers may face obstacles such as:

1. Lack of knowledge or experience with new methods.
2. Initial costs of transitioning systems.

Support systems, including local co-ops and agricultural extension services, can provide essential resources.

Widespread adoption faces challenges, including resistance to change within traditional farming communities and need for government policies to support sustainable farming practice. Incentives and grants can encourage more farmers to switch methods.

Consumer Demand and Market Access

Growing consumer interest in sustainably produced food creates opportunities such as; farmers can access premium markets and receive better prices. Educating consumers about the benefits of regenerative practices can boost market demand.

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Conclusion: Embracing a Regenerative Future

Transitioning to regenerative agriculture is essential for restoring our planet. The benefits are vast; improving soil health, fostering biodiversity, and ensuring food security. All of us must play a role in promoting these practices.

Learn more about regenerative farming initiatives in your area. Support local farmers who practice these methods. Together, we can build a sustainable future for generations to come.