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What is regenerative agriculture?

A farmer-led movement is benefiting our land and food system.

Regenerative agriculture is a broad movement with multiple origins – indigenous land stewardship systems implemented for millennia, further informed by the organic movement, no-till farmer groups, and more – championed by many to improve social, environmental, and economic outcomes in agricultural & food systems.
 
While there is no single definition, our work in regenerative agriculture is guided by our evolving understanding that it is a holistic, principles-based approach to farming and ranching that seeks to strengthen ecosystems and community resilience and to foster conditions for more life on the farm and beyond.
Regenerative agriculture treats the health of soil, water, plants, animals, people, and planet as interconnected, and places life at the center of every action and decision. Through regenerative agriculture, farmers and ranchers produce good food for people in ways that protect, enhance, and foster life by harnessing powerful ecological processes and cycles rather than trying to bypass or overcome them.

The principles of regenerative agriculture

Six core principles provide a flexible framework that can be implemented through a variety of practices, whether the farm is big or small, conventional or organic, and adapted to suit the needs of the farm and its surrounding ecosystem and community. While local context informs the specific practices that are used, the principles are universal and form a foundation for regenerative agriculture. 
  • Understand the context of farm operation
    No two farms or fields are the same, so each farmer adapts the principles to suit their unique context.
  • Minimize mechanical and chemical disturbance
    Reducing the amount of chronic physical and chemical disturbances can help maintain the soil structure that infiltrates water and minimizes damage to the variety of organisms that live in the farm ecosystem.
  • Maximize diversity
    Different species perform different roles and services. Hosting a variety can help naturally defend against pests and diseases while improving the health of the soil. 
  • Keep the soil covered
    Protecting the soil by keeping it covered, either with living plants or plant residue, can help ensure soil doesn’t bake in the sun, blow away in the wind, or wash away. 
  • Maintain living roots year-round
    Soil is a living community of organisms that needs food – carbon that is photosynthesized by plants out of the atmosphere and pumped below ground – to survive. By maximizing days of photosynthesis, farmers can increase the amount of carbon flowing belowground to feed the soil and keep it healthy.  
  • Integrate livestock
    Positive animal impact from grazing and manure can help stimulate nutrient cycling and other important ecosystem processes. 

Four key ecosystem processes

Regenerative agriculture helps restore disrupted ecosystem processes on farms, which can protect shared resources like soil, water, and wildlife, and help improve the resilience of agricultural communities and food systems.   

  • Nutrient Cycle

    Nutrients flow between living creatures and non-living materials through the mineral cycle. Soil organisms like bacteria, earthworms, and fungi help make nutrients from the air and soil accessible to plants and then to the animals and people that eat them.

  • Energy Flow

    Energy flow starts with the sun. Plants use photosynthesis to transform solar energy and carbon dioxide into food for themselves, soil microbes, and grazing animals. The more living plants that are present throughout the year, the more solar energy can be captured to power the farm ecosystem.

  • Diversity

    Diversity in a farm ecosystem supports healthy community dynamics among soil organisms, plants, and animals and reinforces the other ecosystem processes.  

  • Water Cycle

    Water is critical for all life on Earth. Continuous plant cover on the soil helps support a healthy local water cycle, so when precipitation falls, it can transpire through plants, infiltrate into groundwater, or flow into water bodies without causing erosion. From there, water evaporates and condenses to precipitate again.  

Key outcomes

Regenerative agriculture aims to build resilient ecosystems, communities, and businesses. Protecting and restoring shared resources like water, soil, and wildlife benefits many stakeholders across the food system and beyond.  For farmers, many experience improvements in the following outcome areas as they implement techniques to restore ecosystem health and function.  
Learn more about targeted outcomes of the Ecosystem Processes
  • Biodiversity
    Regenerative principles support wildlife and benefit organisms, which in turn provide important services for farmers—such as keeping pests in check.  
  • Water quality and resilience
    Regenerative agriculture helps maximize water infiltration, efficiency, and resilience to the extremes of both drought and flood. It can reduce agriculture’s impact on water quality, helping to protect and restore clean water in nearby streams, rivers, and lakes.  
  • Soil health
    Soil is a complex living ecosystem that is critical for producing food, supporting biodiversity, and regulating the climate. Regenerative principles are designed to protect and feed this ecosystem to help it thrive.  
  • Animal well-being
    Adaptive grazing and feeding a diverse mix of crops support animal health and increase resiliency across the whole farm or ranch ecosystem.  
  • Farmer livelihoods and community resilience
    Regenerative agriculture systems repair and enhance ecosystem processes like nutrient cycling, water infiltration, and pest suppression, reducing the need for more expensive inputs and strengthening whole-farm profitability and resilience over time.  

Dive deeper into regenerative agriculture.

  • Learn about our approach

    Read about how we are creating impact.
    Learn More

  • Learn about our projects

    Discover the regions we invest in and projects in each.
    Explore the interactive map

  • Learn about our partners

    Find inspiration from farmers and partners implementing regenerative agriculture.
    Read their stories