'Regenerative' agriculture could save farms and the planet, students say
By 2030, farmers should switch to regenerative farming and embrace diversity, say students striking to demand climate action. Growing numbers of Kiwi farmers have adopted the approach , which aims to restore and boost soil health and biodiversity. The farming method could become a focus of the upcoming election, with both the Green Party and te Pati Maori featuring policies to promote regenerative practices. But a regenerative agricultural advocate says forcing farmers to implement change is the wrong approach. School Strike 4 Climate spokesperson Oscar Compton-Moen said Aotearoas agriculture sector needs to take urgent action, to protect itself and the climate. Students will hold a nationwide protest on Friday to call for action against climate change. Mandatory regenerative farming is on the strikers list of demands. Were calling on the Government to work with farmers to help them transition as quickly as possible, he said. Farmers are seeing their land get destroyed by cyclones and weather events already. Agriculture contributes nearly half of the countrys greenhouse emissions each year. Regenerative farming is essentially a philosophical approach to managing farmland. Using a range of practices and often a lot of trial-and-error, farmers minimise their use of artificial chemicals including fertiliser, improve the health of their soil, boost the nutritional quality of their products and reduce livestock stress, according to Landcare Research. Fertilisers contribute nearly 10% of the countrys greenhouse emissions, so reduced use could cut the sectors footprint. Research, including a US study published in the journal PLOS Climate , has found regenerative techniques can increase the carbon dioxide absorbed and stored in soil. Multiple studies are underway across the country to test if the concepts work here. Compton-Moen said the sector would benefit. Healthy soils hold more water, he added which will help crops better weather the projected increase in droughts. Because regenerative produce farms often grow a range of crops rather than a single variety, extreme weather events would be less likely to dent the supply of particular foods, he added. Compton-Moen said all of School Strike 4 Climate demands are informed by scientists and climate experts, including activists such as Greenpeace. Allan Richardsons sheep-and-beef farm in Otago is certified both as organic and regenerative. Hes a huge proponent of the approach. This is an opportunity for every farmer, he said. Were walking on the solution to climate change: storing excess carbon in our soils. Richardson noticed benefits right away after using six grass species rather than one, his young sheep put on weight over winter. Id never had that before... That blew me away. The second-generation farmer rotates his livestock between paddocks for most of the year, giving his pasture plenty of time to recover. Healthy grass allows the soil to draw in more carbon from the air, he said. Richardson said it will take time to test regenerative practices that suit New Zealand. The push to adopt the techniques must come from farmers themselves tracking the carbon of their soils, he said. Making something compulsory often creates backlash. Farmers will change and many already have. Federated Farmers acting national president Wayne Langford agreed. The sector is all up for improving. Hes introduced regenerative practices on his own farm. But he warned the approach is still developing. Theres no agreement on what a regenerative farm is or does, he said. Best-practice hasnt been established, and advice can be hard to find or conflicting. Although researchers are attempting to provide answers, its unclear whether practices will help or hurt the bottom line. I do have to pay my bills at the end of the day. Although the sector can get better Kiwi farmers already produce some of the lowest-impact milk and meat in the world, Landford said. Asked whether regulation could alienate farmers, Compton-Moen thought education would help. All of Aotearoa needs to work with farmers, work with the Government to make sure everyone sees the benefits of this. In addition, the School Strike 4 Climate and Fridays for Future groups want New Zealand to meet its goal to cut emissions in half by 2030 to be met without purchasing offsets from other countries. The group wants the voting age to be lowered to 16 and for tangata whenua to receive a central role in climate decisions. Our weekly email newsletter, by the Forever Project's Olivia Wannan, rounds up the latest climate events. Sign up here .