Regenerative Agriculture one of the biggest transformations ever seen on Earth

There are many discussions around the globe appointing alternatives to help solve the increase of greenhouse gas emissions on the planet, and one of them is regenerative agriculture. Farmers, companies, and universities with the use of this knowledge can make the land use more sustainable and together these professionals have the potential to increase exponentially the carbon sequestration in soils. Therefore, regenerative agriculture probably can be one of the biggest transformations in carbon sequestration ever seen on Earth.

Greenhouse gases are gases that when emitted on Earth in an enormous quantity trap solar radiation preventing its release into space. Carbon dioxide is an example of a gas that can produce this effect. As its emission increases, the temperature on Earth mounts causing various problems such as melting glaciers, droughts, and floods. Causes of the rise of emissions are related to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas as well as deforestation.

However, plants can absorb carbon dioxide from the air in the photosynthesis process and release it into the soil as organic matter. As a result, the soil becomes more fertile, there is more water retention, and organisms that live in the soil are benefited.

Soils in balance are normally composed of several organisms such as viruses, fungi, bacteria, insects, and animals such as earthworms whose vital structures are basically formed by carbon chains.

As the demand for food has been increased, some practices have been adopted to meet the needs of the food supply chain. Thus, the intensive use of the soils, the absence of plant diversification, and the use of chemicals are some of the causes that brought the land in some places to a stage of barrenness, degradation, and desertification.

Regenerative agriculture practices are being adopted in the agribusiness sector to counter these problems. As part of this technique, some examples are the rotation of different plants in the same field with it ensuring vegetal diversity, the increment of viruses, bacteria, and fungi in the soil, and the spraying of them in plants instead of chemical insecticides or inorganic fungicides.

The use of organic molecules, and keeping the soil protected with plants by means of cover cropping during dry and hot seasons allows a better preservation of the soil temperature, water stored and ensures the survival of these organisms from the soil.

In conclusion, with the mutual effort among farmers, agribusiness companies, and universities the soil can be restored by agriculture. In addition, the use of regenerative agriculture techniques can bring a positive contribution to carbon sequestration and as a result the entire planet will be benefitted solving a big part of the global warming problem thus, it will bring the dreamed sustainability to the entire Earth. 

Eduardo Girardelo Tímbola