Time to scale up regenerative agriculture

ABOUT a decade ago, digitalization was almost an alien term in the country, with the local techie community only among the few groups knowing fully what digitalization was all about.

But today, digitalization has become a term millions of Filipinos have rolled in their tongues. Also, digitalization has become part of discussions in leveling up agriculture in the Philippines.

Moving forward, I wish that the term regenerative would start not sounding alien among actors and stakeholders in the country’s agriculture sector, most specially among policy and decisionmakers.

I say this because we should not waste time scaling up regenerative agriculture in the Philippines given the numerous challenges local food producers face locally and globally.

Also, we have to start shifting away from the “First Agricultural Revolution” that was characterized by expansion and exploitation, feeding people at the expense of forests, wildlife, water and soil. This also led to the destabilization of our climate.

If that trend continues, it would be impossible to grow enough food for the planet’s growing world population.

On the other hand, the “Second Agricultural Revolution” that centers on regenerative agriculture is consistent with several of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Its holistic approach to farming addresses a broad range of interconnected challenges, and its ideals and procedures provide significant advantages to the objectives, with a strong focus on sustainability, environmental stewardship, climate action and social well-being.

Regenerative agriculture also rehabilitates the entire ecosystem, strengthens resilience against climate change and blends sustainable innovation with tradition.

And here are the main pillars of regenerative agriculture:

Biodiversity. Increase plant and animal biodiversity above and below the ground; Soil and water management.

Balanced fertilization, biopesticides application, efficient irrigation practices and promoting soil organic matter;

Diversified cropping. Promotes optimal resource use;

Livestock integration. Moving livestock through different grazing areas prevents overgrazing, allows for natural pasture recovery and improves soil health;

Farm waste management. Promotes the continual and sustainable use of resources by utilizing agricultural wastes to improve soil health and minimize environmental impacts.

The good news is digitalization and the rise of agricultural technology (agtech) can play a big role in scaling up regenerative agriculture. We should also be thankful that much of the innovations from agtech companies aim to make food production sustainable and more efficient, resulting in lesser inputs used and more income for farmers and fishers.

Hence, regenerative agriculture and agtech can be a powerful synergy to radically transform our local and global food systems.

This, as regenerative agriculture, which focuses on rejuvenating and enhancing ecosystems, also frequently draws inspiration from traditional and naturebased farming approaches.

On the other hand, modern farming boosted by agtech provides fine-tuned farming approaches utilizing modern tools, technology and digital solutions to improve various agricultural activities aimed at improving efficiency, production and sustainability in agriculture.

From the agtech sphere, here are the applicable technologies to scale up regenerative agriculture.

Balanced fertilization. Regenerates soil resources by reducing the use of chemical fertilizers by as much as 50 percent by utilizing natural farm wastes as compost or soil enhancer. Taking it one step further, natural inoculants can be used to produce substitutes for inorganic fertilizer.

Efficient irrigation. Irrigation systems that combine digital technology and mechanical systems that can reduce water usage by as much as 50 percent to grow crops. These efficient systems can minimize water wastage and runoff, promoting sustainable water management. Examples include drip irrigation, sprinkler systems, water piping and precision irrigation techniques. Integrated pest management

(IPM). Emphasizes the use of multiple strategies to minimize the impact of pests on crops while maintaining the overall health of the agro-ecosystem. IPM aligns well with the principles of regenerative agriculture and contributes to its goals such as reduced dependency on chemicals, injection of biological and cultural control methods that helps maintain a healthy soil microbiome and other holistic land management strategies.

Precision farming. Involves the application of new technologies, data and analytics to improve major aspects of agricultural operations. It seeks to improve efficiency, productivity and sustainability by administering inputs such as water, fertilizer and pesticides accurately and efficiently.

Molecular breeding. Molecular breeding or other advanced plant breeding technology has also produced crop varieties that need less time and water to grow. It allows trait selection for resilience, accelerated crop improvement and development of crops with inherent resistance to pests and diseases.

Economic benefits

Among the economic benefits of regenerative agriculture are: Climate resiliency; cost-efficient use of inputs; increased yields; and healthy and nutritious foods.

When it comes to climate resiliency, regenerative agriculture can result in farms becoming more resilient to droughts and floods, contributing to more stable crop yields.

For cost-efficient use of inputs, farmers who adopt regenerative approaches frequently have a reduced dependence on costly farm inputs such as fertilizers, which leads to better economic benefits.

Increased yields are the natural outcome of regenerative agriculture, with data suggesting sustainable farming practices can improve soil fertility and crop health, contributing to sustainable and higher yields in the long run.

Healthy and nutritious foods are also a major outcome of regenerative agriculture. This, as a strong on holistic and sustainable farming practices not only benefits the environment but also promotes the economic value of food through the production of healthier and more nutritious products.

In the second part of this column-series, I will discuss the global and local initiatives aimed at shifting to the “Second Agricultural Revolution” centered on regenerative agriculture.