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Regenerative farming

Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming that seeks to restore and enhance land health through practices such as rotational grazing, cover cropping, no-till farming, and managed fire to improve soil health, biodiversity, and water conservation. This approach offers a promising boost in soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and water retention, making it vital for climate-resilient food systems.

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Investing in regenerative agriculture

Regenerative agriculture offers a crucial path to restoring critical ecosystems. Regenerative practices specifically target degraded lands where traditional agriculture, deforestation, and urbanisation have eroded soil health biodiversity, leading to reduced soil fertility, increased carbon emissions, and diminished water retention. The risks associated with continued degradation include severe impacts on food security, climate instability, and the loss of critical ecosystem services that support both human and environmental health.

By focusing on practices such as water conservation, soil restoration, and biodiversity enhancement, regenerative agriculture helps revive ecosystems crucial for sustainable food systems and climate resilience. These ecosystems are integral to carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling.

Immediate adoption of regenerative practices is crucial to reversing ecosystem degradation and ensuring long-term sustainability. Investing in these methods now will support the restoration of land health and provide future generations with equitable access to the resources they need to thrive.

The numbers speak for themselves

77,482

Hectares protected

134

Tonnes of CO2 emissions avoided

124

Families supported

3

Endangered species protected

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How can businesses have the most impact?

Businesses can have the most impact by supporting regenerative agriculture projects that restore soil health, enhance biodiversity, and improve water management. They should focus on initiatives that promote practices like cover cropping, agroforestry, reduced tillage, and integrated livestock management. Prioritising projects in regions heavily impacted by land degradation, including areas in the Global South, can create the greatest positive change.

To ensure their efforts are beneficial, businesses should avoid investing in practices that contribute to soil erosion, monoculture farming, or excessive use of synthetic inputs. Instead, they should support efforts that promote sustainable farming, empower local communities, and provide farmers with training, resources, and access to sustainable markets.

In the long term, investing in regenerative agriculture offers multiple benefits, such as enhanced ecosystem health, increased carbon sequestration, improved food security, and greater resilience to climate change, creating a sustainable future for both people and the planet.

Regenerative farming case study

The Indo-Gangetic Plains regenerative farming project promotes sustainable agriculture across 600,000 acres in India, benefiting over 51,000 farmers. By adopting practices like reduced tillage, crop rotation, and cover crops, the project cuts greenhouse gas emissions, restores degraded land, and improves soil health. Since 2019, the project has helped boost crop yields and farmer incomes by 12-16%, while reducing water use by 25%. It aims to expand to 2 million hectares by 2038, contributing to multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals.

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Ecosystem protection & restoration

Regenerative agriculture offers a comprehensive strategy for restoring degraded ecosystems, benefiting soil health, water conservation, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity. Healthy soils can sequester up to 25% more carbon compared to degraded soils, which is crucial for climate mitigation. However, approximately 33% of global soils are degraded due to unsustainable farming, deforestation, and land-use practices. This degradation results in reduced crop yields, increased climate vulnerability, and biodiversity loss, impacting food security and livelihoods, especially in vulnerable regions.

To address these issues, regenerative practices such as reduced tillage, crop residue incorporation, crop rotation, and cover cropping are employed to enhance soil organic matter. Agroforestry integrates trees into farming systems, protecting soil and promoting biodiversity, while optimized fertilisation and reduced pesticide use prevent soil and water contamination.

Without regenerative agriculture, soil degradation would accelerate, releasing stored carbon, diminishing productivity, and exacerbating climate change impacts. Embracing these practices is vital for sustaining ecosystems, securing food resources, and supporting resilient communities.

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