Regenerative Agriculture Boosts Second Green Revolution

The long-term use of intensive farming techniques, introduced during the green revolution more than 60 years ago, has led to land degradation, pollution and biodiversity loss all over the world. Experts highlight the need to transition to more sustainable agricultural practices, such as regenerative agriculture, to address challenges like climate change and food insecurity. 

The green revolution between 1960 and 1980 was a period of technology transition within the agricultural sector. It was born as a response to the growing concerns regarding food scarcity and malnutrition in poor countries, caused by global imbalances between population density and food supply. Among the innovative techniques adopted were the development of improved high-yield seed varieties for wheat, rice and corn, the introduction of mechanized farming, irrigation systems, monocropping and intensive use of agrochemicals. 

Positive results were overwhelming, as technology implementation in developing nations like Mexico and India, which were spearheading this transition, allowed countries to become self-sufficient in terms of basic grain production. Over the years, however, the application of these intensive farming techniques unleashed a series of ecological complications like land degradation, increasing carbon emissions, water scarcity, pollution and biodiversity loss. These also raised socio-economic disparities between large-scale agricultural producers and small landholders who could not afford such technology.

Alejandro Hernandez, Analyst and Project Coordinator, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), describes this kind of agriculture practices as counterproductive and inefficient in the long term, since rural displacement coupled with land degradation pushes farmers to either abandon their fields or cut down forests for more land. “This does not solve the problem. Continuing these bad practices only increases the need for more land after just a few years, putting pressure on ecosystems,” he said. 

The world needs a second green revolution, states the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT): “one that avoids past mistakes, regenerates degraded land and reactivates biodiversity in agricultural areas.” This is where regenerative agriculture comes into the picture. 

During the UN Climate Action Summit, carried out in New York in 2019, a group of international food-related companies announced the creation of the One Planet Business for Biodiversity coalition (OP2B). Through this alliance, the group committed to take individual and collective action toward developing innovative solutions to protect and improve biodiversity in agricultural systems. The initiative rests on three main pillars. The first is regenerative agriculture to nurture and restore soil health, enrich biodiversity and contribute to the climate trajectory, while supporting farm communities. The second is product diversification to incorporate greater diversity into agricultural systems and limit reliance on highly used crops, such as wheat or corn. Finally, the third is high-value ecosystems, which aim at ending deforestation, while also helping to restore degraded landscapes to preserve natural processes like carbon sequestration, air filtration and flood runoff storage among others. 

Regenerative agriculture is a comprehensive farming system that enhances farming productivity and profitability through sustainable practices, while nurturing and restoring soil health, protecting water resources and biodiversity. This farming ideology is supported by different practices such as non-tillage, crop waste recycling, vegetable intercropping, cover crops, crop diversification, integrated nutrient management, as well as accurate water management. 

In Mexico, there are different examples of regenerative agriculture projects led by international organizations, such as TNC’s Vision 2030 initiative in Chiapas, which seeks to incorporate 2.5 million ha of land into sustainable agriculture for corn, beans and coffee production and cattle-ranching schemes by 2030, while restoring and reforesting 1.4 million ha of land. Companies like Nestlé, Danone and Bimbo, the first two being members of the OP2B, have also developed projects along with different rural communities in the country. 

These are some of the regenerative agriculture initiatives in Mexico, to date:

Nestlé
In 2017, Nestlé Mexico and CIMMYT signed a partnership agreement called Plan Maiz. This initiative aims to boost productivity through regenerative agriculture practices to positively impact food security, the environment and social inclusion in the Mexican countryside. 

“Nestlé is committed to the sustainability and development of the Mexican countryside. We have more than 90 years of hard work, commitment and experiences in this beautiful country.  We want to expand our drive to the development and training of farmers to improve their productive processes through regenerative farming practices, while caring for food security and  contributing to the conservation of natural resources,” said Julieta Loaiza, Vice President of Communications and Corporate Affairs, Nestlé Mexico.

So far, Plan Maiz has benefited 400 farmers who have adopted sustainable practices for both corn and wheat production. Moreover, the volume of both grains has grown to a cumulative total of 193,000 t of corn and 21,690 t of wheat, with more than 19,000ha impacted during eight productive cycles. In the long term, Nestlé’s goal is for 20% of the corn used in its production processes to come from regenerative farming practices by 2025, increasing this rate to 50% by 2030. 

Danone
In 2010, Danone announced the creation of the Margarita Program, a project developed by Danone Ecosystem Fund, with the support of Danone Mexico, in partnership with TechnoServe and the InterAmerican Development Bank, to support family-scale milk producers by promoting the adoption of new and best milk production practices. 

The project helps to develop sustainable businesses, support rural development and improve the quality of life of small producers, while securing milk procurement in the region. It has been organized through farmer cooperatives, with Danone as a first buyer guaranteeing stable and fair practices for quality milk delivered. The program provides easy access to a wide range of services, such as credit, training, technical assistance, innovation and investment in common goods. 

Danone reported that farmers involved in the program have tripled their revenues, turning farming into a key earning opportunity for their families. Furthermore, regenerative agriculture practices adopted by farmers will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while strengthening carbon capture in the soil, increasing water availability, enhancing farm biodiversity and reducing the use of agrochemical inputs. Until now, Margarita has supported the development of more than 500 farmers. In the near future, the company would like to recruit 200 more.

Bimbo
In 2018, Bimbo partnered up with CIMMYT to develop regenerative agriculture projects using sustainable corn and wheat crops in Mexico. Since then, they have sown 21,853ha of grain in the country, benefiting over 940 small producers from 41 municipalities in Hidalgo, Jalisco, Sinaloa and Sonora. “They are the experts in field practices and everything that has to do with raising wheat and corn crops. They were the right partner in Mexico,” said David Hernandez, Global Vice President and Chief Procurement Officer, Grupo Bimbo. In 2022, Bimbo launched a similar pilot program in the US and is planning another one in Canada for 2023 or 2024. 

Hernandez pointed out that Bimbo’s vision for regenerative agriculture revolves around three objectives: increasing biodiversity, improving soil health and developing the producer community. “We need to make our guidelines specific and we are working on defining the right indicators to make sure that we are improving those three factors,” he said. 

According to Hayden Wands, Vice President of Global Procurement, Grupo Bimbo, the farming practices introduced by CIMMYT have helped Mexican producers enrolled in the program to increase their crop yield. “We say we want to develop the producer community. That is what we are doing here in Mexico with this program, because it is really aiding in their production capabilities and production output. It has raised yields,” he stressed.