Brands, labels and words surrounding organic and regenerative farming have become confusing! It seems there are a lot of unanswered questions on this topic: Is Regenerative better than Organic? Which one is better for the environment and human health? What's really the difference?
Regenerative Agriculture's main focus is to improve soil health and the overall quality of the land.
Organic Farming
Organic Farming follows principles to achieve optimum quantities of produce with a high nutritional quality without the use of artificial, or synthetic chemicals. This farming method works on a sustainable system, and focuses on building rather than depleting soil organic matter without the use of chemical pesticides, fertilisers, antibiotics, hormones or genetically modified products.
Regenerative Farming
Regenerative agriculture empowers farmers to use management principles that are centred around cultivating natural soil fertility and overall land health, whilst reversing human impact on the environment during the process. Regenerative methods, ultimately seeks to reverse negative impacts rather than eliminate them. With a holistic approach to farming it aims to increase local biodiversity, soil fertility, and empower local communities and farmers to ultimately farm in natures form.
Which one is better for the environment and human health?
Traditional methods of farming no longer serve humanity, our top soil has deteriorated due to lack of soil fertility and the overuse use of tilling and chemicals. We are set for only 60 more years of top soil, to put it bluntly that's 60 harvests! In saying that, our population is rapidly growing and research suggests we need to produce as much food as we have in the last 1500 years by 2050.
Our health is dependant on the quality of the food we eat, and the food we eat is only as healthy as the quality of our soil. Although the efforts of organic farming prevent further damage to the fertility of our soil, our planet and mankind are at a halt. To reverse the damage and regenerate our soil we need to take further actions restoring the eco system our soil is grown in.
Many regenerative solutions actually overlap with, and build on organic farming principles.
Leaving land dormant between crop seasons qualifies as organic farming, building on this are farmers pioneering solutions that qualify as regenerative with practices such as cover cropping. Diversity above ground encourages diversity in the soil, by integrating herbs and perennials among their crops, regen farmers grow carbon-sequestering soils, addressing the challenge of climate change while simultaneously preserving nutrients and fertility in the soil.