Regenerative agriculture has no universal definition. It is often used to describe practices aimed at promoting soil health by restoring soil organic carbon.
“Organic agriculture and, specifically, regenerative organic agriculture can sequester carbon from the atmosphere and reverse climate change – Rodale Institute”
Soils store several times the amount carbon as the atmosphere and act as a natural carbon sink. Unfortunately, the global soil carbon stocks are declining as a result of changes happening due to human greed. The changes include conversion of forests and native landscapes to agricultural fields and urbanization.
Regenerative agriculture supports both below ground and above ground biodiversity, enrich soils, improve water retention capacity, and increase the capacity of the soil to capture carbon and thereby contributing to the reversal of global warming.
There are many practices that can be grouped under regenerative agriculture. The practices like Zero Budget Natural Farming where farmers club the cow and farming, no-till agriculture where farmers avoid ploughing soils and instead drill seeds into the soil and use of cover crops that grow and cover the soil after farmers harvest the main crop, crop rotations followed for ages by our agricultural community, use of inputs like Panchgavya, Jeevamrit, Agniastra, Beejamrit, neem-pongamia oil sprays, green manure, composts, vermi composts etc.
Farmers following regenerative agricultural principles and practices witness improved soil quality, crop quality, diversity in the fields, reduced input costs thereby increase in income and the major benefit is reduced exposure to harmful agricultural chemicals.
Regenerative agriculture also can be a tool to ensure a climate smart agriculture practice leading to food security.