Regenerative farming can help cut input costs, improve soil health

Subject : Environment

Section : Agriculture

Concept :

A project undertaken by Chennai-based food and agtech start-up WayCool through its model farm Outgrow Agriculture Research Station (OARS) in regenerative farming has shown that cultivation costs can be reduced, while enriching the soil organic carbon value.
Findings suggest when regenerative farming approach is integrated with the right crop selection, know-how and resources, the improvement in soil organic carbon and reduction in the cost of cultivation is significant.

Regenerative Agriculture/farming

Regenerative agriculture is a way of farming that focuses on soil health.
When soil is healthy, it produces more food and nutrition, stores more carbon and increases biodiversity.
It includes the use of natural inputs, minimum-till, mulching, multi-cropping and sowing of diverse and native varieties.
Natural inputs help improve soil structure and its organic carbon content.
Planting water-guzzling and water-efficient crops together or in alternating cycles reduces the frequency and intensity of irrigation.
They conserve energy used by irrigation aids such as pumps.
In India, the Union government is promoting regenerative agriculture with an aim to reduce the application of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and to lower input costs.

Potential Benefits of Regenerative Agriculture

Multiple benefits: Regenerative farming can improve:
Crop yields
Volume of crops produced
Health of soil
Soil’s ability to retain water
Reducing soil erosion.
Feeding people: Improved yields will help feed the world as the global population grows.
Environmental benefits: Regenerative farming can also reduce emissions from agriculture and turn the croplands and pastures, which cover up to 40% of Earth’s ice-free land area, into carbon sinks.
These are environments that naturally absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.