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Amazing
NATURE
ADVOCATES
Regenerative Agriculture
& Organic Farming
"If we converted all global croplands and pastures to regenerative organic agriculture we could sequester more than 100%
of current annual CO2 emissions."
Rodale Institute website
The importance of soil
Soils not only give us 95 percent of
the food we eat, but also silently provide us with almost all ecosystem services and functions that enable life to exist
on Earth. This thin skin of the planet, on which humans stand up every day,
is also responsible for cleaning, filtering and storing water; recycling nutrients; regulating the climate and floods;
and removing carbon dioxide and
other gases from the atmosphere,
all while hosting about a quarter of
the animal species on Earth.
Soils, Where Food Begins
United Nations UN Chronicle
Ronald Vargas Dec 5, 2022
"There are more microbes in a single teaspoon of healthy soil than there are people on Earth."
The Nature Conservancy
Is farming bad
for the planet?
No, farming is not inherently bad for
the planet. Humanity has partnered with nature throughout history to reliably cultivate nutritious food. Many cultures continue this reciprocity with nature, including Indigenous Peoples and local communities across the globe.
But the way the world is currently producing most of its food -
by extracting more resources than
we are giving back - is degrading the planet. The global food system is responsible for one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, 70% of freshwater use
and 90% of tropical deforestation.
The Nature Conservancy
With the understanding of how important soil is
and that farming is not bad for the planet,
we can now move on to how beneficial and valuable regenerative agriculture and organic farming are. Both are considered to be a sustainable form of agriculture and are giving
us hope for our soil health and feeding the world. The popularity and use of both has been increasing immensely and continues to grow
even as you read this.
Regenerative
Agriculture
Definition
the practice of any agricultural activity that
improves the resources it uses
rather than destroying or depleting them,
focuses on improving soil health and biodiversity
Variety of practices used
low or no-till farming
crop rotation
cover cropping
perennial plants
crop diversity
livestock integration
planned grazing
composting
stubble retention
reducing or removing synthetic inputs like
fertilizers & pesticides
Benefits
fights climate change
increases the ability of soil to store carbon
increase crop yields
improves soil health and structure
reduces erosion
improves ability of soil to retain moisture
reduces exposure to harmful chemicals
reduces agricultural costs
improves biodiversity
reduces pollution
creates a more resilient food system
improves nutrition
Organic
Farming
Definition
focuses on avoiding synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), promotes soil and water quality as well as human health
Variety of practices used
crop rotation
cover cropping
organic fertilizers
enrich soil with organic manures and green plants
natural pesticides
crop diversity
limit use of antibiotics in livestock
practice pasture-grazing
feed animals organic food
Benefits
enhances soil health
healthier and more nutritious food
promotes and protect biodiversity
does not pollute soil and water
increase crop yields
higher income through the use of less chemicals
reduces exposure to harmful chemicals
reduced emissions by non-use of synthetic fertilizers
