REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE by Emmanuel Mwesige - HTML preview

INTRODUCTION

TO

REGENERATIVE

AGRICULTURE ............................................. 10

Evolution of Regenerative Agriculture . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . 14

Meaning of Regenerative Agriculture . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . 16

Understanding Regeneration . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . 19

Rationale for Regenerative Farming . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. 22

Barriers to Regenerative Agriculture . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. 25

Regenerative Agriculture and Climate Change . . . . . . . . 35

PRINCIPLES

OF

REGENERATIVE

AGRICULTURE ............................................. 40

Maximize crop diversity . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . 42

Minimize soil disturbance (no till, or low till) . . . . . .. . . 44

Keep the soil covered (cover crops) . . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . 44

Integrate livestock . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . 45

Reduction, or Elimination of Synthetic Chemicals . .. . . 55

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REGENERATIVE

AGRICULTURAL

PRACTICES .................................................... 58

Biochar and Terra Preta . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. 59

Annual Organic Cropping . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . 61

Compost and Compost Tea . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . 62

Cover cropping with Green Manure . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . 67

Prioritizing Perennial Crops . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . 71

Agro-forestry . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . 74

Holistic Livestock Management . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . 76

Zero (no-till) to Reduced Tillage and Pasture Cropping

. . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . 80

Animal Integration into Crop Production . . . . . . .. . . . . 83

Ecological Aquaculture . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . 84

Silvopasture . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . 85

Conservation Buffers and Riparian Buffers . .. . . . .. . . . 86

Ecological Urban Planning . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . 87

Cold Climate Adaptations . . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . 88

Social and Economic Justice . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . 89

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SUPPORTING

REGENERATIVE

AGRICULTURE ............................................. 91

Procurement . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . 91

Investment . . . . . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . 93

Carbon offsets . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . 94

Policy Review . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. 97

RECOMMENDATIONS ................................. 98

Glossary ........................................................ 100

Index ............................................................. 112

References ..................................................... 116

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List of Figures

Figure 1Holistic grazing

21

Figure 2Regenerative Agriculture Principles Summarized 41

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