As of but, regenerative agriculture has no authorized definition at an EU-level. FOLU, in a report launched in January, instructed that this might lead to greenwashing issues.
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 assets whereas supporting farming enterprise improvement,” Domink Klauser, Director of Regenerative Agriculture at SAI Platform, advised FoodNavigator on the time.
Total, FOLU is optimistic concerning the definition. “SAI’s definition advocates for an outcomes-based – slightly than a practice-based – definition of regenerative agriculture. That is very a lot aligned with FOLU’s method and may enhance 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 direction of regeneration, we imagine farmers, panorama stage actors, and personal sector actors might want to additionally guarantee a deal with social-cultural and financial outcomes as effectively.”
Whereas the definition will not be enshrined in legislation, it’s, instructed Ewer, a ‘step in the suitable course.’
“It urges {industry} to push for outcome-level change, slightly than modifications in follow,” 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 optimistic impression,” she continued. “The framework has additionally rigorously thought of the biophysical dimensions of regenerative agriculture. To keep away from unintended penalties and have a higher optimistic impact in rising uptake of regenerative agriculture we’d urge integration of socio-cultural outcomes.”
Collaboration
In addition to offering a definition of regenerative agriculture, SAI’s framework additionally consists of collaboration with farmers and teachers. 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 positive to combine the voices and experiences of farmers and indigenous teams as a way to scale utility of regenerative agriculture efficiently,” she advised us. “Trade leaders ought to push for an aligned outcomes-based definition, nevertheless this can’t be developed by {industry} alone.”
