Using Regenerative Agriculture to Reduce Inputs
Mitigate Climate Change with Reduced Inputs
Artificial and synthetic fertilizers can create imbalances in the structure and function of soils, depleting the ecosystem and creating weaker, less resilient plants. Fertilizers contribute to climate change by polluting the water and soil, disrupting soil microbial communities, and accelerating the decomposition of soil organic matter. While use of chemical fertilizers, especially ammonia, has revolutionized farming and dramatically increased the productivity of each farmed acre, the production of these fertilizers has a huge climate and carbon impact.
According to Chemical and Engineering news, between 75 and 90% of [global ammonia production] goes toward making fertilizer, and about 50% of the world’s food production relies on ammonia fertilizer. Reducing dependence on chemical inputs can help growers’ and organizations profitability by reducing costs and application runs while simultaneously reducing their carbon footprint and overall environmental impact. Soil fertility is able to be increased in ecosystems through cover crops, crop rotations, compost and animal manure, which can return plant nutrients to promote better soil health.
Regenerative agriculture is an approach to farming that focuses on sustaining soils and the environment, and improving and restoring them. By implementing practices that help restore and revitalize soils, healthier, climate-resilient yields are produced, healthy soils and biodiversity are recovered, and ecosystems— including humans— are made healthier. Meet with the CIBO team to find out how we can help your organization source and incentivize regenerative agriculture growers to repair the landscape, soil structure, ecosystem biodiversity and climate for the sake of long-term productivity and sustainability.