Regenerative agriculture: a sustainable solution

Regenerative agriculture is an increasingly popular practice, which not only seeks to minimise the environmental impact of agricultural production, but also to reverse the damage caused to the soil. In this way, its biodiversity and productive capacity are restored. This type of agriculture is gaining acceptance around the world as another tool to combat climate change, improve food security and revitalise the local economy.

What is regenerative agriculture?

Regenerative agriculture is based on a range of farming and grazing practices that, rather than degrading the soil, promote its regeneration. These techniques include the use of cover crops, crop rotation, planned grazing and the reduction of deep ploughing. In addition, they focus on restoring soil biodiversity, improving the water cycle and increasing carbon absorption capacity. All this not only maintains agricultural productivity, but also reverses the deterioration of natural ecosystems and the depletion of resources such as water and soil nutrients.

Principles and practices

Key practices of regenerative agriculture include:

1. crop rotation: switching crops between seasons to avoid depleting soil nutrients. Some crops even improve soil fertility by fixing nitrogen.
2. Mulching: Never leave the soil bare, which helps prevent erosion and maintain soil moisture.
3. Regenerative grazing: The strategic management of livestock to improve soil health by increasing organic matter.
4. Minimisation of agrochemical use: The use of chemicals is reduced to protect biodiversity and soil health.

A characteristic of regenerative agriculture is that it focuses not only on production, but also on restoring ecosystems. Unlike conventional agriculture, which tends to rely on monoculture and agrochemicals, regenerative agriculture relies on diverse and healthy systems that promote both ecological sustainability and agricultural productivity.

Benefits

One of the main arguments in favour of regenerative agriculture is its ability to combat climate change. By regenerating soil, it increases its carbon storage capacity, which helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. According to Regeneration International, healthy soil can act as a carbon sink, helping to reverse climate change by capturing CO2 from the atmosphere.

In addition, regenerative agriculture can help mitigate other environmental problems. For example, by increasing soil biodiversity, it improves the resilience of crops to extreme weather conditions, such as droughts or floods. It also reduces the need for intensive irrigation, as regenerated soils retain water better.

Social and economic impact

Regenerative agriculture not only has ecological benefits, but also important social and economic benefits. Many advocates of the practice emphasise that it supports rural communities by revitalising local economies. This is achieved by fostering self-sufficiency, strengthening small farms and creating rural jobs.

In terms of social justice, regenerative agriculture is closely linked to the preservation of traditional knowledge of indigenous communities. These practices, which have been used for centuries, are centred on a deep respect for the land and local ecosystems. Small family farms, which comprise the majority of the world’s farms, play a key role in global food production, and regenerative agriculture offers them a sustainable way to increase their productivity without damaging their environment.

Challenges

While the benefits of regenerative agriculture are clear, it also faces challenges. The transition from conventional farming methods to regenerative practices requires an investment of time and resources. Farmers must acquire new knowledge and adapt to carry out these techniques, which can be an obstacle if resources are limited. However, many organisations, both governmental and non-governmental, are offering funding and training programmes to support this transition.

A pesar de estos desafíos, la agricultura regenerativa es una gran oportunidad para el futuro de la agricultura global. No solo es una forma de asegurar la sostenibilidad a largo plazo de nuestros sistemas alimentarios, sino que también tiene el potencial de restaurar la salud del planeta y reducir algunos de los problemas más urgentes del cambio climático. En este sentido, la agricultura regenerativa no es solo una práctica agrícola, sino un movimiento hacia un futuro más justo y sostenible.