Regenerative agriculture, if not a silver bullet to solving the ills of the food system, can at least provide a key part of the solution as we seek to build long-term resilience and security. This new report by Footprint Intelligence, in association with Nestlé Professional, is now available to download.
A shift to regenerative agriculture underpins the net-zero plans of many food businesses. Nestlé is investing CHF1.2bn (£960m) in regenerative agriculture across its supply chain. Compass says 70% of its top five food categories will be sourced from regenerative agriculture by 2030. First Milk will pay a premium to farmers who commit to a regenerative farming plan, while brewer Carlsberg has committed to sourcing 30% of all agricultural raw materials from regenerative practices by 2030, reaching 100% by 2040.
Download the report here
Unlike concepts such as organic and agroecology, regenerative agriculture does not have a firm definitional base. Some producers say it is more of an ethos than a fixed set of standards, however the outcomes it is designed to deliver – healthy soils, biodiversity, carbon sequestration to name a few – are intrinsic to the future sustainability of our food system.
Based on extensive research and interviews with experts and key industry stakeholders this report examines:
- Why there is growing interest among farmers and food businesses in the concept of regenerative agriculture?
- How should we define regenerative agriculture and what are the key environmental outcomes it should deliver?
- Which businesses are leading the shift to regenerative agriculture?
- To what extent can a shift to regenerative agriculture contribute to corporate net zero targets?
- How scalable is regenerative agriculture and how can we ensure it delivers on its promises and does not simply provide a cover for greenwashing?
- The report will also profile producers who are embracing regenerative approaches and businesses further down the supply chain who are supporting producers to farm in more regenerative ways.
Download the report here
