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Modern conventional agriculture has reached very high levels of productivity, supplying the demand of a society with more than 7 billion people using production systems based on monocultures and high doses of fertilizers.
This natural resource mining logic generated environmental damage, caused by the use of inadequate techniques, impacting the planet's climate, soil productivity, water quality and human health.
Producing sustainably, that is, without causing degradation, is no longer enough.
It is necessary to produce on a large scale, supplying the world's demand, restoring ecological cycles and the dynamics of ecosystems, integrating human beings back into the cycles of nature, of which they are a part.
Fortunately, there are several examples of regenerative agriculture initiatives, inside and outside the country, which have achieved excellent results in a short period of time.
It is the case of Agroforestry Systems, integrated production systems, where annual crops are produced in the same area as arboreal, fruitful, woody species, or “service” species, intended to improve soil conditions. The distribution of these species in the field requires knowledge so that the potential of each one of them is used to the maximum.
However, most of these initiatives take place on a small scale, on the land of small family farmers, who produce a wide variety of foods, often organically.
On medium and large scales, monoculture production systems still prevail, with soils that are often uncovered, intensive use of pesticides and, not infrequently, problems with compaction, crusting and erosion.
For an agricultural activity to be regenerative, it is necessary that the ecological balance be positive, that the ecological conditions improve over time, also guaranteeing the maintenance of productive capacity.
To assess this positive balance, ecological indicators capable of capturing this evolution over time were selected, divided into soil, water and biodiversity.
Carbon contents, biological activity and physical structure are evaluated, the main factors for assessing soil health
Water infiltration into the soil, erosion rates and the quality of water leaving the farms are evaluated.
Bioacoustics evaluates the diversity of native fauna within our production systems and in restored areas. The presence of natural enemies in productive areas is another key indicator.
It is possible to reconcile high production efficiency and a positive ecological impact when the natural cycles involved in production are known and respected.
The regeneration of soils and of the entire agroecosystem does not happen in an instant, it is a continuous process, but in about 2 to 3 years it is already possible to notice drastic changes.
In this regeneration process, pastures and crops become increasingly fertile, productive, resistant to pests and climate fluctuations and, consequently, more profitable.
The best part is that the benefits of these improvements go beyond the boundaries of the properties, generating environmental services for the entire region, in a virtuous cycle where everyone wins.
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