The impact of agriculture and our food systems is enormous. According to the United Nations, agriculture (including irrigation, livestock and aquaculture) accounts for 69% of annual water withdrawals globally - making it the largest water consumer globally. Meanwhile, land degradation, declining soil fertility, unsustainable water use, overfishing and marine environment degradation are all lessening the ability of the natural resource base to supply food. With nearly 750 million people being exposed to severe levels of food insecurity in 2019, the current state of agriculture and food systems are immediately threatening to the health and resilience of people and the planet.
Fortunately, transforming our agriculture practices and food systems is one of the single strongest opportunities to improve health and equity, restore biodiverse ecosystems and create resilient communities.
Regenerative organic agriculture offers such an opportunity because its ethos goes beyond sustainability. Instead of focusing on sustaining the current balance, it aims to regenerate and improve the soil and other aspects of the agricultural system. Similar to organic agriculture, regenerative agriculture aims to provide habitat for soil life, improve levels of soil organic matter, and enhance biodiversity.
With that said, non-organic regenerative agriculture can involve the use of many substances and practices that are prohibited in organic agriculture. Organic agriculture is conducted without the use of genetically engineered crops or dependence on synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, which is why it is important that regenerative practices be woven together with organic practices.
The principal practices of regenerative organic agriculture include reduced tillage; keeping the soil covered as much as possible; providing nutrients and organic matter to the soil in the form of composted manure and plant material; diverse crop rotations incorporating green manures; managed rotational grazing and outdoor access for all livestock; agroforestry, and providing social justice for workers and all other people along the supply chain.
REDUCING TILLAGE
IMPROVING SOIL FERTILITY
ALLOWING ANIMALS TO GRAZE
PRACTICING AGROFORESTRY,
AND GROWING A DIVERSITY OF CROPS
INCLUDING PERENNIAL CROPS
Integrating trees into the farm and combining tree crops with vegetable crops or pasture also improves resilience, especially to droughts and floods. Tree roots penetrate deep into the soil and help water percolate to a great depth, and the tree canopy can intercept the rain and reduce the impact of heavy rainfall on the soil.
Overall, these practices all aim to regenerate soil and its biology, thereby allowing it to sequester carbon and mitigate the impact of climate change; improve the water cycle; restore microbial, plant and animal biodiversity; increase soil and crop resilience to erosion, flooding and drought; improve the welfare of livestock; and enhance nutritional quality of crops.

HOW CAN REGENERATIVE ORGANIC AGRICULTURE HELP CANADA FULFILL ITS COMMITMENTS TO AGENDA 2030?
- BUILD RESILIENT COMMUNITIES WITH STRONG ORGANIC FOOD SYSTEMS
- INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD & ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF FOOD INSECURITY
- SUPPORT INDIGENOUS FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
- CHAMPION DECENT WORK & JUSTICE FOR WORKERS ALONG THE FOOD CHAIN
- SEIZE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES & REDUCE INEQUALITIES
- TAKE IMMEDIATE CLIMATE ACTION BY SEQUESTERING CARBON
- INCREASE BIODIVERSITY & IMPROVE AIR,WATER AND SOIL HEALTH.
- BUILD RESILIENT COMMUNITIES WITH STRONG ORGANIC FOOD SYSTEMS
- INCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTHY FOOD & ADDRESS THE ROOT CAUSES OF FOOD INSECURITY
- SUPPORT INDIGENOUS FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
- CHAMPION DECENT WORK & JUSTICE FOR WORKERS ALONG THE FOOD CHAIN
- SEIZE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES & REDUCE INEQUALITIES
- TAKE IMMEDIATE CLIMATE ACTION BY SEQUESTERING CARBON
- INCREASE BIODIVERSITY & IMPROVE AIR,WATER AND SOIL HEALTH.



