Debunking Regenerative Agriculture Myths: Q&A with Richard Pluke
How much do you know about regenerative agriculture? In our latest Q&A, TechnoServe’s director of regenerative agriculture discusses common misconceptions.
MYTH 1: Regenerative agriculture is too expensive, especially for smallholder farmers.
Richard: The myth that regenerative agriculture is too expensive, especially for smallholder farmers, can be easily refuted. In reality, by pursuing regenerative agriculture, smallholder farmers—through utilizing on-farm resources—can significantly decrease their spending on expensive synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. They can do this by making organic compost from crop waste or by using natural pest management, for example. Once you get farms to a mature and balanced state, they demonstrate inherent resilience and productivity, which minimizes the costs associated with external inputs.
TechnoServe works with some farms in Chile under a Unilever project, and there, because we have the ability to measure microbial activity in the soil, we have seen that as farms have become more regenerative, their soils demonstrate increased levels of natural fungicidal and bacterial agents, which naturally take on the fungal pathogens that usually cause disease outbreaks. In the case of these farms, they’ve managed to reduce applications of fungicides by nearly 30%. Under these conditions, you can definitely reduce your input costs.
Farmers are also insulated from market shocks because, for example, when chemical fertilizer prices spike for geopolitical reasons, farmers can use regenerative techniques and locally sourced products to shield them from the worst of any external shocks. Repeating an earlier point, the adoption of regenerative practices and utilization of locally-sourced materials can turn farming systems into self-sustaining systems rather than ones that are reliant on external inputs. An example of this is farms in India that TechnoServe works with that are taught how to save seeds for replanting, and use nitrogen-fixing crops in rotation and in cover cropping to naturally boost soil nutrition.
MYTH 2: Regenerative agriculture reduces yields and farm profitability.
Richard: I think it’s important to understand what we’re talking about here. The yield gap is a myth, but in many cases, we do have to consider potential short-term reductions in yields and profitability because we’re talking about changing a complex biological system.
At TechnoServe, we work with farmers to mitigate those risks through various measures such as efficient use of inputs, enterprise diversification, financial de-risking, and access to concessional capital. Once these short-term reductions are overcome and the farm responds positively, you actually see increases in yields over time.
For example, a TechnoServe study found that regenerative coffee practices can increase farmers’ income by an average of 62% in the case of this study. Then you’ve also got the prospects of longer-term productivity, where conventional farming often leads to soil exhaustion and declining yields. Regenerative practices do the reverse; they restore health and ensure the land remains productive for future generations.
Then the third thing I’d say is around climate resilience. Regenerative farms can act as a buffer against extreme weather. Healthy soils retain more water during droughts and prevent erosion during heavy rains, preventing crop failures.
MYTH 3: Regenerative agriculture is the same as organic farming.
Richard: This one is quite common. That regenerative agriculture is the same as organic farming. And the reality is that it isn’t. Regenerative is focused on outcomes rather than inputs. Organic farming is often defined by what farmers cannot use, such as synthetic chemicals, and it’s quite prescriptive.
Regenerative agriculture differs in that it focuses on the biophysical outcomes it creates, such as improved soil health, reduced emissions, restored biodiversity, and improved water cycle health. It allows flexibility in how these outcomes are achieved. Especially in the early stages of transitioning to regenerative agriculture, there remains a need for external inputs, such as in depleted soils that cannot produce commercially viable crops.
This is the case with a project of ours in Nigeria, where farmers are trained on the 4 Rs of nutrient stewardship for the use of synthetic fertilizers. The Rs are:
- Right fertilizer
- Right rate
- Right time
- Right place
Following the 4 Rs can bump up yields while implementing a rational and cost-effective fertilizer program that minimizes negative effects on the surrounding environment. But we’re doing that in conjunction with other practices that are regenerative, and over time, we look to bring down the amounts of synthetic fertilizers, as the soils build natural fertility and health. Another important aspect of this is that regenerative practices take a holistic landscape approach and go beyond the crop itself, unlike organic agriculture. They look at the surrounding ecosystem and engage in practices such as agroforestry or protecting local watersheds.
We have a regenerative project in Mexico. There, to protect local watersheds, they use improved irrigation systems, and their water conservation efforts have led to reductions of up to 36% in water use on the strawberry farms.
Then the final point I’ll make on this is that regenerative agriculture is very pragmatic. Unlike strict organic certification, which can be costly and quite rigid, regenerative agriculture allows for a transition that focuses on nature- and climate-positive growth and builds a resilient farm ecosystem, while remaining grounded within the local context and what’s possible for farmers and their farming systems.
MYTH 4: Regenerative agriculture only works in high-income countries.
Richard: At TechnoServe, we’re in a great position to see that this is not true. The reality is that regenerative practices, such as composting, cover cropping, and reduced tillage, are actually often more accessible and impactful for smallholder farmers in low-income countries, where they can significantly increase soil health, increase water retention, and raise incomes.
To a point I made earlier, we rely on finding local solutions. Regenerative agriculture is based on adapting techniques to the local context rather than relying on importing expensive machinery or technology that may be difficult to access, purchase, or use. One example is a project we have in India where women prepare Jeevamrutha. This is a traditional Indian fermented liquid bio-fertilizer and soil enhancer made from different local ingredients such as jaggery, cow manure, and gram flour. On this project, access to locally sourced ingredients and technologies led to greater engagement and participation by women, enabling them to improve their livelihoods through sustainable, regenerative practices.
MYTH 5: Smallholder farmers have a negligible impact on global climate goals.
Richard: Smallholder farms comprise 84% of the world’s 570 million farms, and they produce roughly 35% of the global food supply on only 12% of the land. This makes their practices vital to global efforts to reduce agricultural emissions and promote sustainability. If we focus on smallholder farmers and their adoption of regenerative agricultural practices, they offer a tremendous opportunity to sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through improved land management.
On some of our projects, we’re talking about thousands and thousands of hectares coming under regenerative managed cropping systems. This is why leading food and beverage companies engage with smallholders and fund regenerative agricultural initiatives. It’s because they’re looking to achieve positive climate impact at scale.
At TechnoServe, we’re lucky enough to facilitate some of these initiatives through collaborations with partners such as Danone, Unilever, Nestlé, and JDE Peet’s. We’re in a great position to see the impact that smallholder farmers can make and are making around regenerative agriculture. They certainly do not have a negligible impact on global climate goals.
The myths explored in this blog are not just misconceptions. They are barriers that, left unchallenged, slow the adoption of practices that can genuinely transform smallholder farming. At TechnoServe, our work gives us firsthand experience into what regenerative agriculture can achieve, and we have documented outcomes from real farms and real farmers.
Regenerative agriculture builds self-sustaining, climate-resilient systems that reduce reliance on inputs, protect against market shocks, and restore the land for future generations. For smallholder farmers, this transition is already underway, and TechnoServe is proud to be a trusted partner.
