Regenerative Agriculture - A Pathway to Soil Recovery and Resilience

Added 5 days ago

Regenerative agriculture has the potential to bring about a transformative shift in ecological farming and soil restoration, according to new research published in the CABI Agriculture and Bioscience journal.

The paper, Regenerative Agriculture: its Meaning, Rationale, Prospective Benefits and Relation to Policy, authored by Dr Nicholas Bardsley of the University of Reading, stresses that as soil degradation and climate pressures intensify worldwide, farming systems must be re-evaluated. Bardsley argues that regenerative agriculture should not be defined by fixed practices, but rather by its outcomes—strengthening ecological cycles of nutrients, carbon, and water while enhancing soil health, biological activity, and resilience. This approach, he notes, must remain adaptable to local conditions.

The Role of Soil Science
Soil health lies at the heart of regenerative farming. Evidence shows that plant–microbe interactions can accelerate the rebuilding of organic matter and soil structure, allowing regeneration to happen far faster than once believed. As the study highlights: “Regenerative farmers are not just conserving what’s left – they’re striving to rebuild what’s been lost.”

Broader Benefits
Beyond soil recovery, regenerative practices carry wider ecological and social advantages. These include carbon sequestration, reduced dependence on synthetic inputs, biodiversity restoration, and greater resilience to both drought and economic stress.

Barriers to Adoption
Despite its promise, systemic hurdles limit broader adoption. The paper points to inadequate long-term public funding for whole-system trials, restrictive notions of evidence-based practice, and policy frameworks—such as the UK’s Environmental Land Management scheme—that fail to fully incentivise systemic change.

Read the full paper here.