Siphakeme .Mnindwa
CLIMATE change is real and the majority of farmers have already started realising how it has impacted global food and health security.
Evaluating what it means to protect and care for the environment has become an assignment to policy and decision-makers.
Day-to-day farming is slowly moving away from just profit-making to nourishing the environment through the implementation of methods and practices that sustain the land.
Regenerative Agriculture focuses on how farming practices are integrated and their importance in the surrounding environment.
Regenerate Agriculture is defined as an approach to farming that prioritises soil, and water quality, biodiversity, and ecosystem and minimises usage of synthetic inputs. It aims to regenerate the whole environment instead of concentrating on crop yields.
This method is driven by key principles that include:
Soil Health
It focuses on the use of farming practices that minimize soil disturbance leading to reduced soil loss due to erosion. By reducing erosion, organic matter is conserved for soil fertility maintenance and structure. Under no-till practices, there is a reduced breakdown of the life cycles of beneficial microorganisms.
Biodiversity
This practice advocates for crop and livestock diversification and wildlife to create a resilient ecosystem. Different microorganisms, and species in biodiversity systems support soil well-being, structure and fertility.
Biodiversity promotes enhanced nutrient cycling, hence, minimising the use of synthetic fertilisers. Adaptation to changing environmental conditions and long-term productivity and sustainability is achievable in biodiversity systems. Enhanced ecosystems result in improved crop yields and quality.
Cover cropping
Cover cropping prevents soil loss through erosion and promotes decomposition of organic matter which improves soil structure, fertility and water retention.
This practice provides a habitat for beneficial microorganisms, hence, promoting healthy soil biota. It helps to attract beneficial insects that prey on other pests, resulting in minimised use of synthetic chemicals, for example, ladybird beetles feed on aphids in vegetable production.
Soil compaction is minimised and water infiltration is increased thereby creating healthy soils for optimum crop growth. Cover cropping promotes the build-up of soil organic matter which stores carbon and reduces atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Minimum use of synthetic inputs
Reducing the use of synthetic chemicals and fertilisers minimise the amount of pollutants in the atmosphere and surroundings resulting in the protection of water, air and soil quality.
Synthetic chemicals have negative impacts on soil biota and minimising their use preserves soil health and promotes soil regeneration. Biodiversity is promoted through elimination of harmful chemicals that pose serious impacts on beneficial micro-organisms and insects.
Livestock production
By integrating livestock production into regenerative agriculture, the following key aspects should be taken into account:
n Adoption of rotational grazing
n Promotion of ecological livestock production system
n Destocking.
Livestock
Strategic grazing patterns and management can promote healthy ecosystem services and biodiversity conservation. By promoting healthy soil and plant growth, strategic grazing can help sequester carbon from the atmosphere, mitigating climate change.
Animal manure can act as a natural fertiliser, enhancing nutrient cycling. Animals within an ecosystem help to break up compacted soils, improving soil structure for water infiltration.
These practices aim to produce nutritious foods for healthy communities whilst focusing on relationship-building with the surrounding environment.
Traditional inequalities and socio-economic injustice that are being faced in the farming sector can be addressed by the regenerative agriculture approach.
Responsibility being taken by policy and decision makers for instance the government of Zimbabwe and South Africa in implementing programmes such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa and AgriCarbon respectively are key in addressing the historical discrimination that is currently practiced in the approach to environmentally friendly and climate-smart agriculture.
Naboth Mutomba is an agriculturalist and can be contacted at [email protected]
Online Reporter