Why it matters: Agriculture has stripped 130 petagrams of carbon from our soils—that’s carbon that once made farmland fertile and productive.
- Regenerative agriculture offers a way to restore what we’ve lost while feeding the world.
The big picture
Most farming today follows a simple rule: do less harm.
- Regenerative agriculture flips that script entirely.
Instead of just sustaining, regenerative agriculture actively restores the natural resources that farming depends on.
- Think of it as the difference between maintaining a car versus rebuilding its engine.
What makes it different
Traditional sustainable farming asks: How do we minimize damage?
Regenerative agriculture asks: How do we heal the land while growing food?
The key insight: Rather than defining regenerative agriculture by specific practices (no-till, cover crops, etc.), scientists now focus on outcome-based goals:
- Rebuilding soil health
- Increasing soil organic matter and biodiversity
- Enhancing biological activity
- Maintaining farm productivity
The science behind the promise
The evidence is compelling. A major 2022 analysis by the European Academies’ Science Advisory Council found that regenerative practices create “win-win synergies”:
- Greater crop diversification → more carbon storage + more biodiversity
- Year-round cover crops → better soil structure + habitat creation
- Reduced tillage → enhanced soil biology + erosion control
- Agroforestry integration → carbon sequestration + yield stability
The bottom line: These practices increase soil carbon and biodiversity without significantly harming food production long-term.
Why soil health matters so much
Healthy soil isn’t just dirt—it’s a living ecosystem. When soil organic carbon increases even modestly (from 1% to 2%), farms see:
- Higher crop yields in corn and wheat
- Reduced fertilizer needs as soil biology takes over nutrient cycling
- Better water retention during droughts
- Improved erosion control during heavy rains
The restoration opportunity
Here’s the striking reality: Agriculture has depleted soil carbon for centuries, undermining the very foundation of food security. But this also represents an enormous opportunity.
Every percentage point of soil organic carbon restored makes farmland more:
- Productive
- Resilient to climate extremes
- Capable of storing atmospheric CO₂
- Supportive of biodiversity
Yes, but…
Trade-offs exist. Converting some cropland to permanent grassland boosts soil carbon and biodiversity but reduces immediate crop output.
- The key is strategic implementation—not every acre needs the same approach.
Context matters too. Climate, soil type, and local conditions influence which practices work best where.
What this means for the future
Regenerative agriculture isn’t just another farming trend. It’s a science-backed approach to addressing multiple challenges simultaneously:
- Climate change through carbon sequestration
- Food security through improved soil fertility
- Biodiversity loss through habitat restoration
- Rural livelihoods through reduced input costs
The opportunity ahead: Policies and markets are beginning to reward farmers for these ecosystem benefits, making regenerative agriculture not just environmentally smart, but economically viable.
References
- European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC). “Regenerative Agriculture in Europe: A Critical Analysis of Contributions to EU Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies.” EASAC Policy Report 44, April 2022. https://easac.eu/fileadmin/PDF_s/reports_statements/Regenerative_Agriculture/EASAC_RegAgri_Web_290422.pdf
- Prairie, Aaron M., Alison E. King, and M. Francesca Cotrufo. “Restoring particulate and mineral-associated organic carbon through regenerative agriculture.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 120, no. 22 (2023). https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10214150/
- Sher, Alam, et al. “Importance of regenerative agriculture: climate, soil health, biodiversity and its socioecological impact.” Discover Sustainability 5, no. 140 (2024). https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43621-024-00662-z
- Khangura, Ravjit, David D. Ferris, Cameron Wagg, and Jamie Bowyer. “Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health.” Sustainability 15, no. 3 (2023): 2338. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/3/2338
- Colombi, Greta, Enrico Martani, and Dario Fornara. “Regenerative Organic Agriculture and Soil Ecosystem Service Delivery: A Literature Review.” Ecosystem Services 73 (2025). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212041625000257
