2023-10-09 09:42:00
Published on October 9, 2023 at 11:42 Updated on October 9, 2023 at 11:59
What is regenerative agriculture?
R.H. : This is a French translation of an English term, the meaning and depth of which are not yet completely framed. The chambers of agriculture attribute to it five main basic principles aimed at regenerating soil health, and by extension, biodiversity, water resources and air: covering the soil, minimizing its disturbance, diversifying crops, maintaining living roots throughout the year. Then, as part of a systemic approach, we limit (or even eliminate) chemical treatments, we develop agroforestry, and we integrate, ideally, livestock into the natural crop cycle.
In my opinion, regenerative agriculture goes much further. It encompasses several disciplines and multiple agricultural forms: soil conservation, crop rotations, agroecology, permaculture, etc. I define it as an agriculture which aims to interact with its ecosystem of establishment, by supporting environmental dynamics. In summary, regenerative agriculture is a collection of practices that benefit the environment as much as they benefit the environment.
Is she opposed to new technologies applied to agriculture?
R.H. : Technology is not excluded from this logic of benefiting the environment: it is rather used in a reasoned manner. The idea is to make the most of technology to achieve management adapted to the environment in which we operate.
What are the priorities for regenerative agriculture?
R.H. : They vary depending on the region and the type of crops, but certain practices are essential. Above all, we seek to limit tillage, cover it, and diversify crops. We want the soil to regain its vitality and its ability to regenerate.
In addition to these good practices, we will ensure that work is structured around the proper exploitation of water resources, ensuring that we return as much as what we extract, if not more, in order to strengthen soil vitality through agricultural activity. We also want to improve the resilience of water tables or hydrosystems, because any agricultural operation is part of a watershed where water circulates. We aim for a concordance of infrastructures and agricultural practices, combined with a project of anchoring in the territory and participation in societal needs.
How do humans fit into these agricultural practices?
R.H. : Man is the conductor of an agricultural operation, and he is also part of its natural ecosystem. Its activity can contribute to maintaining the biosphere if it strives to have a neutral, or even positive, impact on the soil and various resources. I find it important to think regarding the notion of well-being, ergonomics and human development at the heart of agricultural activity. Putting people at the center means valuing their work for their production, but also for additional services for themselves: a healthy environment, a fulfilling activity, values that go beyond monetary added value.
Some criticize regenerative agriculture, supposedly more expensive and less productive than so-called conventional agriculture. What is your view on this issue?
R.H. : It is difficult to have a clear opinion, because we still lack feedback to compare. I tend to think that regenerative agriculture might meet the needs of all if the planning is good and it makes the best use of all available resources, in particular thanks to the development of agroforestry (NB: the association of trees and crops or livestock in the same agricultural production system). Some pilot farms show excellent results and thus compensate for the effects of reduced yield compared to conventional agriculture.
I would add that if we have to measure a profitability benchmark for this new management of agricultural land, we must then discuss the way in which this profitability is measured. If it included intangible benefits, notably the impact of public interest, this would then make it possible to make a more valid comparison.
You talk regarding agroforestry: how does it support our food future?
R.H. : Agroforestry implies that there is never a single crop on the same agricultural plot, unlike conventional agriculture. Even if we adopt crop rotation, we do not use the full production potential of a site, because there are several “stages” to exploit. For example, under hedges, we can grow plants that require less sunlight; between hedges, grow cereals or set up livestock; and finally, above, plant trees that form a canopy. If we take all the cultivable areas in the world, and multiply the types of complementary crops with this 3D logic, we can then imagine land that is two to three times more productive.
Does the shift from conventional agriculture to regenerative agriculture seem complicated to you?
R.H. : No project is set up overnight, especially for farmers who make a decent living from their profession using well-regulated conventional practices. The ideal is to experiment on portions of the agricultural territory and take the time to observe for several years, with support to plan for objectives. How much time do we give ourselves for our transition? What investment capacity?
In any case, it seems essential to me to avoid the binary comparison between regenerative and conventional which only brings tension. We must maintain flexibility, rely on people who have a broad vision of the subject and can suggest plants to test, evaluate the adaptation time, help to anticipate climatic hazards, in order to pose good hypotheses of future. Such important changes are not made radically, we move forward gradually.
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