The global food system currently contributes to a staggering 34% of carbon emissions, positioning it as a major catalyst for climate change. Urgent action is imperative to revamp our food system, halt the progression of climate change, and ensure a sustainable future for our planet.
Enter Regenerative Agriculture.
But what does this term really entail?
Think of it as an evolution beyond sustainable farming. While sustainable farming seeks to maintain the existing state of the land without deterioration, Regenerative Agriculture takes a step further. It aims to actively enhance our environment, rejuvenating ecosystems to a state better than their original condition.
Regenerative Agriculture achieves this goal through farming practices designed to enrich the soil, foster biodiversity, and optimize water and nutrient cycles. In addition to these practices, regenerative farmers embark on a continual learning journey, ensuring they adapt to change and consistently refine their farming systems.
Together, these practices combat the climate crisis by drawing carbon from the atmosphere and sequestering it in the ground.
Let's delve into a bit of Year 7 Biology to grasp the magic behind it all.
Remember photosynthesis and plant biology?
Plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air, converting it into carbon crucial for their growth. The excess carbon is directed down to the plant's roots in the form of sugars, stored in the soil, and thus sequestered.
Here's the fascinating part – brace yourself for it...
This sequestered carbon becomes nourishment for the myriad microbes, bugs, fungi, and worms in the soil. In turn, these organisms provide nutrients for plants, enabling the soil to retain more water and fostering the creation of resilient landscapes.
While carbon poses a threat in the atmosphere, it assumes a star role underground. Managed effectively, it becomes part of the soil food web, capable of staying stored in the soil for millennia!
Our farmers contribute to this process by minimizing soil disturbance – no tillage or ploughing, allowing carbon to thrive and build on its legendary status. This practice is just one of the ten Regen Principles our farmers adhere to.
Other Regenerative Agriculture practices include maintaining year-round soil coverage, prioritizing the soil food web over direct plant feeding, enhancing biodiversity and ecosystem health, integrating livestock into cropping systems, and nurturing the water cycle.
In essence, Regenerative Agriculture is not just a farming method; it's a revolutionary approach that breathes life back into our planet, offering a sustainable solution to combat climate change and build a resilient future.
"Regenerative Agriculture is a combination of farming principles and practices that work with, rather than against natural systems. These practices increase biodiversity, enrich soils, restore the water cycle, and enhance ecosystem services. Regenerative agriculture helps reverse climate change by drawing carbon back down into the soil, increases resilience to climate instability, and brings inspiration back to farming communities. "
To learn more about the practices our farmers use on their farms, read our blog, Unearthing Regen Ag with Christie, so stay tuned.