Why Regenerative Agriculture Is the Future
The Intersection of the Tech Industry and Holistic Farming Practices
Indigenous people were using holistic farming practices centuries before white settlers ever stepped foot on their land. Their culture is deeply rooted in nature, with a profound sense of responsibility towards sustainable land stewardship. Indigenous cultures have helped shape ecosystems by preserving biodiversity through proper land management and effective farming practices.
All this to say: Regenerative Agriculture is not new, but it has certainly gained traction in recent years.
Lower yields brought on by diminished soil quality, climate change related effects, and a myriad of other issues are plaguing farmers nationwide.
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Regenerative agriculture could be the way out.
Conventional farming, primarily characterized by large monocultures, can add up to be quite costly for the farmer, even if you just consider the cost of tillage, additional fertilizers, and pesticides.
Soy and corn take up nearly 150 million acres, representing more than half of all the US’s farming land use.
Single-crop farming has led to massive amounts of soil erosion. A 2007 report by the USDA National Resource Conservation Service estimated a soil loss of 13 tons per hectare annually.
According to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2014, large monocultures cause significant soil erosion and contribute to climate change. In Fact, they are the second-largest greenhouse emitter in the world.
But there is hope. A European initiative, “4 per 1000”, estimates that a 0.4% increase in carbon on farmlands using regenerative practices could offset over 4 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions from reaching our atmosphere.
What is Regenerative Agriculture and Why is it Important
Simply put, regenerative agriculture is the practice of working with your environment instead of against it. Conventional farming strips nutrients from the soil while releasing a concerning amount of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide. In contrast, regenerative agriculture practices increase biodiversity, nutrient density, water retention, and carbon sequestration.
This is achieved in several ways: minimal to no tilling to prevent the break up essential fungi and bacteria that live in the soil, crop rotations, using compost as fertilizer instead of harsh chemicals that enter the aquifer, cover crops, and using well-managed grazing practices.
A study published in 2018 by researchers from the Ecdysis foundation tested the yield, pests, and profits of 20 farms based on the implementation of regenerative farming practices. Even though they found a 29% decrease in crop yields, their profits were 78% more than conventional farms.
Sounds impossible, right?
But here’s the thing about using more sustainable farming practices, the benefits compound on one another. As the soil enriches itself through manure and compost application, the need for additional fertilizers decreases. Nutrient-dense soil then leads to an increase in biodiversity, specifically beneficial insects that help reduce harmful pests and produce more substantial yields.
In fact, studies show farmers practicing holistic approaches to pest management have only one-tenth the observed amount of pests reported by conventional insecticide-treated farms.
The Future of Regenerative Agriculture
It seems like regenerative agriculture is a win-win.
So, what’s stopping all farmers from making the switch? The simple answer: money. The conventional machinery they own was a significant investment, and most farmers just don’t have the infrastructure to support the change to more sustainable practices.
Farmers are concentrating on their bottom line, but the tech industry is proving to be a major component in helping them move towards more regenerative practices.
The tech world is quite literally coming to the rescue.
And not a with a second to spare. Estimates show that by 2050 there will be 9.8 billion people on this planet. If we want to enjoy our land and obtain fruitful harvests for generations to come, we need to make the switch back to basics. We need to learn from the cultures that have been doing this for millennia, with the help of technology, of course. A recent report stated that implementing regenerative agricultural practices could result in a $10 trillion net financial return.
So far, companies like Vine View are using drones to measure hydration, potential diseases, and general crop health. Another company, Trace Genomics, is a leader in soil chemistry dynamics helping remove the guess-work from farmers so they can take immediate action in their fields.
If you’ve become a plant hoarder, as I have during the pandemic, you know there is a plethora of apps to help keep your plants happy and healthy. There are even programs that remind you to water, fertilize, and repot your plants.
AI and machine learning are going to continue to change the game for farming practices around the world. We’re going to see more and more investors pushing for regenerative agriculture to become mainstream. In 2019, a “Soil Wealth” report identified 70 strategies with combined assets of $47.5 billion related to regenerative farming practices.
Conclusion
There is a lot of promising outcomes from the intersections of farming and technology. Leaders in the industry and farmers need to work together to make the significant changes required to persist in the face of an ever-changing climate. Or better yet, if they want to contribute to mitigating climate change while creating sustainable farming practices that could offer prosperous yields for many farming generations in the future.
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