Regenerative agriculture has become a buzzword in the food world, but there is actually no formal definition of it.
Broadly it means a set of practices that aim to improve land while cultivating crops and livestock, instead of depleting it like industrial practices often do. But it means so much more than that to many and is wider-ranging than its potential to sequester carbon from the atmosphere.
In this episode, we explore philosophies of regeneration and ask our guests how they define regenerative agriculture, how we can make sure regenerative farms are actually doing what we need them to, and how do we support farmers while they make the transition?
In today’s roundtable, we sit down with Reginaldo Haslett-Marroquin, founder of the Regenerative Agriculture Alliance; Dan Kittredge, founder of the Bionutrient Food Association, Elizabeth Whitlow, executive director at the Regenerative Organic Alliance; Koen van Seijen, Toniic manager and host of the Investing in Regenerative Agriculture podcast; and Daniela Ibarra-Howell, CEO of Savory Institute.
We discuss:
- Philosophies of regeneration and what is regenerative agriculture
- How regenerative ag might help address global challenges like climate change and supply chain issues related to war and covid
- What might a new regenerative agriculture system look like
- What might we learn from indigenous agricultural practices
- How corporations can work with farmers to create a more regenerative system
- How might we fund the transition to regenerative agriculture
- Do we need regenerative agriculture certification?
Show Notes
- Regenerative Agriculture Alliance
- Bionutrient Food Association
- Regenerative Organic Alliance
- Toniic
- Investing in Regenerative Agriculture podcast
- Savory Institute
- ROC Program
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Thank you to Foodshot Global & New Hope Network for sponsoring the series.
And a huge thank you to everyone who helped us bring this podcast to life:
Production: Cam Gray, Cofruition
Audio Editing: Tevin Sudi
Original Music: Rodrigo Barbera
Art: Lola Nankin
Project Management: Patrick Carter
New Food Order
New Food Order is a podcast exploring the business of tackling our climate and social crises through food and agriculture from AgFunder and Food+Tech Connect.
Through nuanced conversation and debate, its hosts Danielle Gould and Louisa Burwood-Taylor are embarking on a learning and unlearning journey to unearth how we might design business and finance to have maximum positive impact for people and our planet.
Join us as we speak with leading farmers, entrepreneurs, executives, investors, and other stewards on key topics like:
- Will plant-based, lab-grown meat, and regenerative agriculture save the world?
- Is carbon neutral enough?
- What are the most people and planet friendly business and finance models?
- How might we best honor and learn from indigenous communities?
- What are the unintended consequences of new innovation, and how might we avoid them?
Danielle Gould is an entrepreneur and activist. She is the Founder and CEO of Food Tech Connect, the first community for food innovation as well as the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Alpha Food Labs, a consultancy where she works with some of the world’s largest companies to create products and innovation strategies that are better for people and our planet. She hopes that ultimately, her work helps unite and catalyze a movement of earth guardians.
A journalist and editor, Louisa is the head of media & research for AgFunder and chief editor of its news site AFN, focused on the foodtech and agtech industry. With 10 years of agriculture reporting behind her, Louisa started her career in other financial markets working for publications like the Financial Times, Euromoney and Private Equity International, where she launched the first-ever publication dedicated to agriculture investment.