Beyond Farming: 10 Ways Regenerative Agriculture Can Help Mitigate Climate Change
Regenerative agriculture is a set of farming techniques that aims to increase biodiversity while lowering carbon emissions. The elements include minimizing soil loss, covering topsoil with vegetation, introducing multiple crops and living roots into the soil, and rearing livestock that grazes on lands. These activities help extract carbon from the atmosphere and release it to the soil, effectively turning farmlands into a "carbon sink."
Regenerative Agriculture: How Does It Help in Tackling Climate Change?
Regenerative agriculture counters climate change by sequestering carbon from the atmosphere into the soil. It recognizes the important role of soil in maintaining the carbon balance. Simply put, the regenerative system of farming is carbon-conscious, rooted in the traditional agricultural techniques of indigenous peoples that prioritize biodiversity and soil health.
The world is still vulnerable to a temperature rise of over 3°C in this century. We have already produced almost 48 billion tonnes of CO2 so far this year. Land-use emissions, primarily from agriculture, forestry, and land clearing, account for around 22% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Further, resource-intensive farming also contributes to land degradation. As a result, regenerative agriculture is critical for increasing crop yields while minimizing environmental damages.
The Positive Impacts Of Regenerative Agriculture On Climate Change
Multiple crops rotation along with the integration of grazing livestock resemble natural ecosystems and increase biodiversity. Rotating crops also reduces the use of pesticides which helps in improving the quality of the soil.
The reduced dependency on fertilizers allows the crops and plants to extract nutrients lying deep in the soil. It cuts the reliance on microorganisms for nourishment, which promotes greater carbon sequestration. Chemical pesticides also alter the soil microbial ecology, inflict various detrimental effects on biodiversity, and cause the pollution of land and waterways. Pesticide exposure is also dangerous for human health— it lingers in our food, air, and water which causes health issues such as cancer, birth abnormalities, etc.
Rotational grazing mirrors the patterns of animal herds, preventing the overgrazing of the land. Meanwhile, the livestock manure fertilizes the soil which contributes to carbon sequestration. Regenerative farm animals are raised on pasture, and free of growth hormones and antibiotics— which is why they are often healthier than industrial livestock. Additionally, effective grazing methods, such as moving livestock around often, adding legumes or fertilizers, and avoiding overgrazing, help promote vegetation and protect water sources.
Continuous plowing or tilling causes the soil to degrade. In addition, these tilling operations also release large amounts of carbon dioxide. No-till farming decreases soil disturbance and carbon dioxide levels while providing a cleaner and healthier environment where crops can thrive. It also lowers soil erosion and prevents water infiltration.
Nitrogen fertilizers enhance crop productivity and contribute to carbon sequestration. Incorporating nitrogen fertilizers also helps in boosting soil organic matter which helps increase the yields.
The technique of covering the soil with mulch, a blanket of organic matter, improves fertility and fights weed growth and pest infestation. Similarly, research shows that mulching over four years can result in 41% higher carbon sequestration.
Cover cropping promotes impermeable roots which serve as protection for the soil from wind and water erosion. It also retains soil moisture, decreases tilling, helps prevent water pollution, and promotes the microbial activity that helps capture atmospheric carbon in the soil.
Biochar is a charcoal-like material made by the combustion of organic waste. The process releases no hazardous gases but rather enhances soil structure and water retention capacity, preventing important nutrients from being lost. It also helps in neutralizing carbon, stopping it from leaking into the atmosphere.
Compost is a mixture of food and plant waste (decomposition) that is high in microorganisms and important nutrients. It is a technique used for enhancing soil nutrition. Composting enables the generation of microbes that use the photosynthetic process to trap carbon in the ground.
Agroforestry utilizes the technique of blending crops and plantings. The robust roots of the trees help in protecting the soil and crops from intense rainfall, while also sequestering atmospheric CO2 emissions.
The potential of agricultural fields to sequester carbon is influenced by several aspects— land topography, farming practices, etc. While some organizations see regenerative agriculture as a critical instrument in the titanic struggle against climate change, others believe that agricultural sequestration has challenges and setbacks. Either way, in the context of climate change, regenerative agriculture should be regarded as a type of agricultural solution for mitigating its impacts.
That being said, here are the other environmental and social benefits of implementing regenerative agriculture practices.
Soil and water are largely connected. Healthy soil acts like a sponge, storing 20 times its weight in water, reducing erosion, and increasing drought tolerance. Good soil quality also dwarfs the dependency on pesticides and artificial fertilizers, which pollute the rivers and put agricultural communities at risk.
Healthy soil produces healthy crops that are free from harmful toxins, reducing the usage of costly fertilizers and pesticides. As a result, it enables the farmers to charge higher rates for the regenerative farm products, allowing them to profit from the ecological services they deliver.
Regenerative practices foster healthy soil which alleviates the overdependence on agrochemicals. It increases crop resilience against extreme weather conditions and strengthens plant-disease tolerance. All of these are critical for maintaining the prevalence of food production and security for both the present and future generations.
Conclusion
According to the UN, we lose 24 billion tonnes of fertile soil each year while one-third of global agricultural lands are already diminished. A mixture of the above-discussed regenerative agriculture techniques can help regenerate the soil and promote its preservation. It can also accelerate the volume of carbon being sequestered and ensure that the carbon remains trapped down into the ground. In a nutshell— regenerative agriculture practices promote the carbon capture & storage process which lowers the number of GHGs in the atmosphere and the environment.
CarbonNeutral Protocol is an important framework to highlight in this context— it is a platform that lets businesses and individuals engage in environmental stewardship certification to offset their carbon impact. It attempts to reduce GHG emissions and encourage the participation of global companies' conservation initiatives to mitigate the consequences of climate change.
Regenerative agriculture offers a wealth of techniques and practices that can aid in the battle against climate change. Integrated with organic farming methods, it can provide farmers with numerous advantages while also offering the world healthier foods and a cleaner environment to live in.
