Tim Van de gehuchte’s Post

Transition to regenerative agriculture is only possible if empowered farmers are at the forefront, as stewards of the land and central part of the solution! OP2B joined EARA | European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture's policy event where they launched their European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) policy paper. EARA represents a diverse group of regenerative farmers across Europe. Farmers face challenges when transitioning to and sustaining regenerative farming systems. From peer pressure to perpetuate conventional methods to the lack of support from agricultural policies, the obstacles are real. Today the short-term risks of transition are on farmers' shoulders. Farmers, industry leaders, and policymakers, alongside financial institutions, recognize the urgent need for each actor in the value chain to de-risk farmers’ transition. OP2B is pleased to work with EARA | European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture on a performance-based policy system and supports policy alignment with broader societal goals such as soil health, biodiversity conservation, water, and climate mitigation & resilience.  Many thanks to EARA for organizing and hosting this impactful event, fostering insightful conversations! 

The Hurdle in Adopting Regenerative Agriculture: A Need for Ground-Level Support 🌾📉 Despite the growing awareness of regenerative agriculture, its adoption faces significant challenges. Recent statistics indicate that a major barrier is the lack of practical, ground-level support – a gap that Merge Impact aims to fill. 🔍 The Statistic: While the exact figures may vary, it’s evident that the widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture practices is still in its infancy. This isn’t due to a lack of interest but rather to a lack of actionable support. 🚜 Ground-Level Support: Merge Impact offers more than just baseline assessments and goal-setting. 💡 Engaging the Supply Chain: Go beyond setting targets. We actively engage with the supply chain, offering tools and insights that enable real change, not just plans. 💰 Facilitating Investments: Investment is key in driving this change. Merge creates pathways for investments in sustainable systems, making it easier for farms to adopt and maintain regenerative methods. 🌍 A Call for Action: To truly shift towards regenerative agriculture, the industry needs more than goals – it needs the tools, support, and investment to make these goals a reality. Merge Impact is committed to bridging this gap, fostering a more sustainable future for farming. Let’s move from intention to action and make regenerative agriculture the norm, not the exception. #RegenerativeAgriculture #SustainableFarming #AgricultureInvestment #MergeImpact

Can we transition every piece of farmland to regenerative agriculture? Chuck de Liedekerke suggests that in the face of climate stress, extreme weather events, and the degradation of our soils, transitioning to regenerative agriculture isn't just an option—it's a necessity. 6 reasons to believe he's right about this: 1️⃣ Water Usage: Regenerative fields require 30-50% less irrigation than conventional ones, mitigating water scarcity and reducing dependency on unsustainable water sources. 2️⃣ Soil Health: Conventional farming has depleted soil organic matter by about 50-70% from its original levels. Regenerative agriculture, however, can increase soil organic matter, enhancing soil health and fertility. 3️⃣ Biodiversity: Regenerative farms support 30% more species diversity and 50% more pollinator diversity than conventional farms. 4️⃣ Economic Benefits: Farmers practicing regenerative agriculture report profit margins of up to 78% higher than conventional farming due to reduced input costs and improved crop yields. 5️⃣ Pesticide Reduction: Regenerative practices can reduce pesticide use by up to 90%, mitigating the risk of pesticide runoff and protecting water quality. 6️⃣ Carbon Sequestration: Regenerative agriculture can sequester up to 3 tons of CO2 per hectare annually. In contrast, conventional agriculture is a net emitter of CO2, contributing significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions. The question now is "How do we accelerate and scale that transition?" -> Listening to the full conversation with Chuck on the Deep Seed podcast might get you closer to the answer 🌿 ---------- #RegenerativeAgriculture #Sustainability #ClimateAction #DeepSeedPodcast #SoilHealth #FoodSecurity #Biodiversity Soil Capital x Soil Capital Farming x Deep Seed

Thank you to Raphael Esterhazy for having me on the Deep Seed podcast! If you don’t have time to listen, my most important message is captured in the video below. We can either be part of the problem or the solution. Team “problem” will have fewer and fewer opportunities, team “solution” will have more and more. The earlier you join team “solution”, the better off you will be. As a business, as a professional and as a person.

Yes, regenerative agriculture is important. Yes, it’s good that corporations are acknowledging this. Yes, it’s an essential step towards addressing climate change and fostering a healthy planet. It’s not enough. According to a recent study by FAIRR Initiative, there are highlights some critical areas for improvement: 1️⃣ Only 36% of the companies surveyed (which represent a third of the global food and retail sector) have established quantified, company-wide targets for regenerative agriculture. More companies need to set specific goals, and then measure and disclose their performance to hold themselves accountable for driving change. 2️⃣ Just 16% engage in meaningful discussions about metrics and data. Tracking and measuring progress are essential for meaningful impact. Currently, only four companies have established baselines for measuring their progress in regenerative agriculture. 3️⃣ A mere 8% of these companies have committed to financially supporting farmers in deploying regenerative practices, which is crucial to incentivize widespread adoption of sustainable agricultural methods. This data is a call to action. Our planet can no longer afford to simply acknowledge the importance of regenerative agriculture – these giants must take concrete steps to implement it effectively. It's past time for companies to set clear targets, invest in data-driven decision-making, and support our farmers in their quest to build a healthier and more sustainable food system. Quickly. #agriculture #climate #foodsystems #sustainability

Happy #WorldSoilDay 🌍 🌱 Let's talk Regenerative Ag! Q: What does regenerative agriculture mean? A: Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming and land management that aims to restore and enhance the HEALTH of ecosystems, improve SOIL fertility, and promote BIODIVERSITY. 🌱 The primary goal is to create agricultural systems that are not only sustainable but also resilient in times of stress, like drought or excessive flooding. This approach often involves practices that go beyond traditional sustainable agriculture methods, such as limited tillage methods, cover cropping and integrated livestock rotation. Key principles of regenerative agriculture include: • Soil Health & Cover Cropping: An emphasis is placed on improving and maintaining the health of the soil. This involves minimizing soil disturbance and promoting cover crops and crop rotations to enhance soil fertility. Regenerative might imply strip-till, limited till or even no-till. Incorporating cover crops is also an important piece to cycling nutrients, supporting soil biology and even preventing disease. Maintaining a continuous living root system is part of the regenerative puzzle to constantly feed and support soil biology. • Animal Integration: In many regenerative systems, animals are integrated into the farming process. For example, rotational grazing can improve soil health and reduce the need for chemical fertilizers. Grazing on native grasses or cover crops also causes the plant to give off certain root exudates, which are signals to soil microbes to get to work cycling nutrients! 🐄 🌱 Regenerative agriculture is a response to the challenges posed by conventional agricultural practices. By adopting regenerative practices, farmers aim to create resilient and productive agricultural systems that benefit both the environment and the communities they serve. #regenerativeagriculture #soilhealth #covercrops #notill #farming #rural #biodiversity #agbusiness #winbiologics

Regenerative agriculture is good for the earth and for farmers. Studies show that regenerative agriculture can result in long-term profits up to 120% higher than conventional practices and can boost soil organic matter by up to 20%. The Regenerative Farm Map by Regeneration International is a data-driven tool to connect with sustainable farms across the world and find ones near you that you can support! You can filter the map by locations, specific products, agricultural practices, certifications, and more. By mapping these farms, we gain invaluable insights into the practices, challenges, and successes of a growing movement. This data is crucial for understanding the potential of regenerative agriculture to combat climate change, restore ecosystems, and nourish communities. Regeneration International is building a global network of farmers to revolutionize agriculture. By connecting sustainable farmers they’re hoping to facilitate a transition in land management towards regenerative agriculture. Have you ever worked on a regenerative farm?Check out the Regenerative Farm Map and comment below nearby regenerative farms near you! #regeneration #sustainablefarming #climatechange

🌱 The potential for regenerative agriculture is real. There is strong evidence that regenerative farming practices can restore soil health. Some regenerative farms show an 80% increase in Soil-Organic-Matter (SOM) and 3x higher soil microbial activity.   Agriculture can contribute more than 5 gigatonnes of CO2 per year in carbon removals and emissions reductions (around 10% of annual global GHG emissions).   Changes to agriculture could deliver 72% of total potential improvements needed to address biodiversity loss. Studies show a correlation between regenerative practices and species richness and abundance.   Regenerative agriculture can be more profitable and deliver superior risk-adjusted financial returns to farmers and investors. We call this the “Regenerative Edge”.  It is driven by higher yields, lower costs, higher prices, opportunity to tap into payments for ecosystem services and better risk mitigation. Regenerative Real Assets can deliver an internal rate of return (IRR) that is 1-3% higher than conventional farmland investing, while also mitigating a number of social, environmental and economic risks and providing resilience to climate change and natural capital loss. Investors can have the most direct impact on how land is managed by investing in farmland itself. This is where we focus our efforts at SLM Partners. 🌾 ------------------- 🔗Read the full white paper here: https://lnkd.in/gSU7h2f4 🎥Watch the webinar replay: https://lnkd.in/gAA6MARc #regenerativeagriculture #impactinvesting #naturalcapital #realassets

Can we share a positive perspective for Farmers… Yes we can!   Regenerative Agriculture provides significant benefits for farmers but also helps to make the food system more sustainable.   Current agricultural methods, especially intensive farming, can leave a damaging environmental legacy and produce food of lower nutritional value. By applying regenerative agricultural practices, we can: > lower GHG emissions;  > reduce freshwater consumption; > cut back on nitrate pollution;  > improve soil quality and fertility;  > enhance biodiversity; and > grow more nutrient-rich crops.   Our point of view will address the following, with a specific perspective on the Netherlands: - What is regenerative agriculture, and what are its benefits and risks - What are the opportunities and challenges for food-agri players in scaling regenerative agriculture? How can they collaborate?   Let's advance towards sustainable growth together: https://deloi.tt/49bMeC0 #FutureofFood #RegenerativeAgriculture Tina Scheele, Arthur de Wilde, Stefania Daniolos, Fred Nijland, Maarten Oonk

Day 6: Challenges and Opportunities in Regenerative Agriculture Regenerative agriculture holds immense promise for addressing global challenges such as climate change, food security and biodiversity loss. However, its adoption is still in its early stages and farmers face numerous hurdles in transitioning to these practices. Key Challenges: 🌱Economic Viability: Balancing short-term costs with long-term benefits can be challenging for farmers. 🌱Market Access: Developing markets for regeneratively produced food can be difficult. 🌱Knowledge and Skill Gaps: Many farmers lack the necessary knowledge and expertise to implement regenerative practices. 🌱Policy and Regulatory Barriers: Existing policies and regulations may hinder the adoption of regenerative agriculture. Opportunities for Growth: 🌱Innovation and Technology: Advancements in technology can support regenerative practices, such as precision agriculture and soil health monitoring. 🌱Consumer Demand: Growing consumer interest in sustainable food systems creates opportunities for regenerative farmers. 🌱Government Support: Policy changes and financial incentives can accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture. 🌱Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing: Building strong networks and sharing best practices can drive progress. Overcoming these challenges and capitalizing on opportunities requires collaboration among farmers, researchers, policymakers and consumers. By working together, we can build a more resilient and sustainable food system. What are your thoughts on the challenges and opportunities facing regenerative agriculture? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below. #regenerativeagriculture #sustainableagriculture #farming #agriculture #climatechange #foodsecurity #soilhealth #environment East-West Seed TechnoServe William Warshauer FAO Farm Africa