As of but, regenerative agriculture has no authorized definition at an EU-level. FOLU, in a report launched in January, urged that this might lead to greenwashing considerations.
Nonetheless, the SAI launched a definition final month as a part of its ‘Regenerating Collectively’ program. “SAI Platform defines regenerative agriculture as an outcome-based farming method that protects and improves soil well being, biodiversity, local weather, and water sources whereas supporting farming enterprise improvement,” Domink Klauser, Director of Regenerative Agriculture at SAI Platform, advised FoodNavigator on the time.
General, FOLU is optimistic concerning the definition. “SAI’s definition advocates for an outcomes-based – reasonably than a practice-based – definition of regenerative agriculture. That is very a lot aligned with FOLU’s method and may improve readability amongst {industry},” Theodora Ewer, Program Supervisor for regenerative agriculture scaling programme Regen10 at FOLU, advised us.
Nonetheless, she certified her statements. “SAI’s definition focusses on the biophysical/environmental outcomes of regenerative agriculture. Whereas these are essential, we see environmental outcomes as just one a part of the regenerative story. To make sure a holistic transformation in the direction of regeneration, we imagine farmers, panorama degree actors, and personal sector actors might want to additionally guarantee a deal with social-cultural and financial outcomes as nicely.”
Whereas the definition shouldn’t be enshrined in legislation, it’s, urged Ewer, a ‘step in the best course.’
“It urges {industry} to push for outcome-level change, reasonably than modifications in apply,” she advised us. “The SAI framework identifies biophysical and environmental outcomes of regenerative agriculture on the farm gate. To assist producers keep away from greenwashing, FOLU advocates for environmental outcomes to be included alongside socio-cultural and financial outcomes at farm, panorama and international ranges.
“SAI’s framework is prone to have a constructive affect,” she continued. “The framework has additionally fastidiously thought-about the biophysical dimensions of regenerative agriculture. To keep away from unintended penalties and have a larger constructive impact in growing uptake of regenerative agriculture we might urge integration of socio-cultural outcomes.”
Collaboration
In addition to offering a definition of regenerative agriculture, SAI’s framework additionally contains collaboration with farmers and lecturers. Ewer believes that collaboration with different curiosity teams is necessary in any industry-based definition of regenerative agriculture.
“Any framework developed by {industry} also needs to be cautious of taking a top-down method by being certain to combine the voices and experiences of farmers and indigenous teams in an effort to scale utility of regenerative agriculture efficiently,” she advised us. “Trade leaders ought to push for an aligned outcomes-based definition, nonetheless this can’t be developed by {industry} alone.”
