What is regenerative agriculture?
In a context where concerns about soil health and climate change are increasingly pressing, regenerative agriculture emerges as a more sustainable approach to land management. This practice aims to restore agricultural environments while creating more resilient and fertile ecosystems capable of adapting to both contemporary and future challenges. It also seeks to preserve biodiversity for future generations. Initiatives such as those led by the Fonds de Dotation Roullier play a crucial role in supporting research to enhance our understanding of soil health and promote sustainable agricultural practices globally. Together, these efforts contribute to creating a future where agriculture supports soil conservation.
Principles and Characteristics of Regenerative Agriculture
Since 1990, the emergence of “simplified” agriculture, later renamed “conservation agriculture” and now more commonly known as “regenerative agriculture,” reflects the growing interest of researchers in more sustainable farming practices. This new method of land management aims to maximize soil quality by adopting sustainable and regenerative practices. According to INRAE research center, conservation agriculture is based on three principles: reducing soil disturbance, maintaining soil cover, and implementing diverse crop rotations (Source: How Conservation Agriculture Can Improve Soil Quality | INRAE).
This definition can be further detailed. According to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), regenerative agriculture encompasses holistic farming systems aimed at enhancing water quality, strengthening ecosystem biodiversity, and sequestering carbon to help mitigate the effects of climate change. In this farming approach, farmers strive to produce nutrient-rich foods through agricultural systems designed to work in synergy with nature (Source: Regenerative Agriculture | FAO).
The fundamentals of regenerative agriculture are diverse. Firstly, it is important to note that this concept focuses on soil health. Indeed, soil health is at the core of regenerative agriculture. Practices are geared towards regenerating soils by promoting microbial biodiversity, increasing organic matter, and preserving soil structure. It is also important for farmers who follow regenerative agriculture principles to engage locally. This principle promotes engagement and cooperation within local communities, thereby encouraging the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices and the creation of resilient food systems. Farmers practicing regenerative agriculture adopt a holistic approach, considering the entire agricultural system, encompassing economic, social, and environmental dimensions. They design agricultural systems to promote long-term sustainability. Regenerative agriculture also focuses heavily on farming practices that achieve a holistic approach to farm management. These practices can include crop diversification, which enhances resilience against diseases, pests, and varied weather conditions; no-tillage or continuous cover cropping; and minimal use of chemical inputs.
Regenerative agriculture can be considered a sub-category of organic agriculture. It adopts similar practices with its own goals, which go beyond merely preserving soil quality. Regenerative agriculture not only maintains soil quality but also improves soil fertility by exclusively leveraging its internal resources. This gradually creates a virtuous cycle, free from dependence on external resources. However, while the philosophy of this practice is to minimize the use of inputs, regenerative agriculture does not necessarily prohibit the use of chemical pesticides, unlike organic agriculture.
In practice, the lack of a clear label defining the rules of regenerative agriculture leads to a diversity of practices: some farms use inputs, while others do not. This highlights the need to channel the growing interest in regenerative agriculture. Indeed, establishing a common set of standards is challenging given the diversity of terroirs. Overly strict standardization would lead the concept of regenerative agriculture towards a single model, leaving little room for the variety of farming forms. It is necessary to adapt this practice to the specificities of different regions. Regenerative agriculture is not a fixed notion, as it allows farmers to adjust their choices based on the techno-economic realities of their operations. In fact, regenerative agriculture adapts to local conditions by considering the climatic, geographical, and social particularities specific to each region.
Soil Health at the Heart of Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative agricultural practices aim to place soil health at the core of their actions. Given various fundamental aspects related to agriculture, the environment, and overall sustainability, soil health is crucial in transitioning from conventional to regenerative agriculture.
Soil health is a fundamental pillar in agriculture, playing a critical role in food production and environmental sustainability. Understanding the importance of soil health is essential. Healthy soils are the foundation of food production. They provide a fertile substrate where crops can grow, absorbing the nutrients necessary for their development. Soils rich in organic matter promote better soil structure, enhancing water retention and facilitating aeration, which are crucial factors for plant health. Indeed, healthy soil structure, maintained through sustainable agricultural practices, helps reduce erosion. This protects agricultural land from soil loss, preserving its productivity in the long term.
Furthermore, healthy soils act as reservoirs of biodiversity. Soils rich in beneficial microorganisms support the decomposition of organic matter, contribute to stable soil structure, and participate in biogeochemical cycles. They host a multitude of beneficial microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and earthworms, which aid in organic matter decomposition, nitrogen fixation, and the promotion of a sustainable soil structure. Soil biological diversity is an indicator of vitality and its capacity to support balanced agricultural ecosystems. Healthy soils promote more robust crops that are resilient to diseases and pests. Soil biodiversity can act as a natural defense line.
Soil health also has a significant impact on combating climate change. Soils act as carbon sinks, storing atmospheric carbon dioxide and thereby helping to mitigate the effects of greenhouse gas emissions. Proper soil management can enhance this carbon sequestration capacity, contributing to global efforts to combat global warming. Agricultural practices that promote soil conservation help maintain these carbon reservoirs and reduce the carbon footprint of agriculture.
Soil health is crucial in agriculture because it directly affects crop productivity, biodiversity, environmental resilience, and climate change mitigation. Proper soil management contributes to sustainable agriculture. It allows for more efficient resource use, reduces dependence on chemical inputs, and supports the longevity of agricultural practices. Sustainable agricultural practices that preserve and improve soil health are essential to ensure abundant and sustainable food production for future generations.
How to Regenerate and Take Care of the Soil
The preservation of soil health is a crucial element in the principles of regenerative agriculture. Several agricultural approaches help take care of the soil. Agroecology or conservation agriculture highlight farming techniques aimed at achieving fertile soils or improving the structure of agricultural land. Indeed, farming techniques such as crop rotation or maintaining plant cover allow for optimal soil conservation, preserving its minerals and organic matter for farmers.
But how can we take care of the soil?
Researchers from INRAE highlight that diverse crop rotation, enriching the land with organic matter, and integrating animals would help achieve the soil quality sought in regenerative agriculture (Source: How Conservation Agriculture Can Improve Soil Quality | INRAE).
Indeed, crop rotation is beneficial in preventing the depletion of specific soil nutrients and maintaining a balanced nutrient profile. Diverse crop rotation involves alternating between crops intended for harvest and so-called “service” crops. These service crops play a crucial role in reducing certain bio-aggressors such as diseases and pests, thus contributing to the reduction of chemical inputs in the soil. By introducing service crops into the rotation, a natural balance is promoted in the agricultural ecosystem, thereby reducing reliance on chemicals for disease and pest control. This approach is part of sustainable land management, promoting soil health and reducing the environmental impact of agricultural practices.
Taking care of the soil also involves preserving biological life and improving the structure of agricultural land. Reducing soil disturbance and transitioning to direct seeding help preserve soil structure and life (earthworms, fungi, springtails, etc.), thus preventing erosion. It is crucial to adopt agricultural practices that limit excessive tillage, preserving soil structure and reducing the risk of erosion. This microbiological activity, facilitated by organic matter, helps stabilize soil mineral particles by producing glomalin. Stabilized and structured soil has a better capacity to retain water, nourish plants, and resist erosion during heavy rains.
Maintaining constant plant cover, whether through cover crops or mulching, offers advantages such as protection against erosion, moisture retention, and promotion of soil biological life. Cover crops allow the regeneration of arable land. Covering the soil year-round provides physical protection against erosion, UV rays, and drought. It prevents the formation of a compact crust and reduces the emergence of weeds. Soil fertility biologically increases within regenerative agricultural systems through the introduction of cover crops and intercrops, crop rotation, and the application of compost and manure. These approaches restore the plant and soil microbiome by encouraging the release, transfer, and recycling of essential soil nutrients.
Introducing perennial crops, such as fruit trees or perennial vegetables, also plays a crucial role in soil structure. For example, agroforestry, which involves planting trees and hedges, promotes biodiversity, improves fertility, and helps create a balanced ecosystem, reducing the need for chemical inputs. Regenerative agriculture emphasizes minimizing the use of phytosanitary products and chemical fertilizers, preferring green manure, compost, manure, or slurry. Agroforestry is also worth considering. The concept involves planting trees within fields designated for cultivation or grazing, offering several advantages: a beneficial synergy with crops leading to improved productivity, increased soil fertility through biomass addition, enhanced water retention, carbon sequestration, and shaded shelters for animals.
The introduction of animals, particularly through rotational grazing, can naturally fertilize the soil through animal droppings. This presence of natural manure establishes an important correlation between soil quality and the presence of animals.
Research by INRAE demonstrates that the organic effluents produced by sheep and cattle farms contribute essential organic matter to the needs of agricultural soils. Organic matter is crucial in agriculture for several reasons vital to soil health and agricultural productivity. Notably, soil carbon sequestration is a benefit as it helps mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change. Regarding water management, adopting techniques such as retention basins and efficient irrigation systems is essential to maintain adequate soil moisture.
Conclusion
In conclusion, regenerative agriculture emerges as an innovative and sustainable approach to address the growing challenges of contemporary societies. By promoting soil health, biodiversity, and ecosystem resilience, this practice transcends the potential limitations of conventional agriculture. Farmers who adopt these methods report significant improvements in soil quality, sustainable yields, and a reduction in their dependence on chemical inputs. Moreover, this approach aligns with global objectives to combat climate change by sequestering carbon in the soil. Thus, regenerative agriculture appears as a response to modern challenges, including ecological issues.