Some organizations propose using blockchain, the technology that makes cryptocurrency like Bitcoin possible, to power a regenerative agricultural revolution. The ultimate goal is to reverse the flow of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere until atmospheric levels fall to a degree that scientists agree will stabilize the climate.
Across the nation, the first wave of a political movement rooted in agriculture’s role as a climate solution is gathering momentum. Unseen by most city dwellers and suburbanites, a carbon farming revolution is sweeping over the land. Driven by a mix of economic and ecological reasons, a growing number of farmers and ranchers are adopting practices to draw down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, where it overheats the planet, into soil, where it boosts fertility.
The Cherangani people of Kenya were for generations reliant on the forest for hunting, gathering and agroforestry—a way of life that was curtailed by the colonial government. Today, Cherangani communities living on the edge of the forest have returned to their traditions, intercropping avocado, bean and coffee plants among trees that help reduce water runoff and soil erosion, and improve nutrient cycling.
Silvopasture systems combine trees, livestock (ruminants like cattle, sheep and goats) and grazing. Ranchers and pastoralists plant trees or manage the land for spontaneous tree growth. The trees provide shade, timber and food for livestock.
How the future plays out depends on how well the industry understands, respects and regenerates soils. Healthy biosystems across the world’s farmland provide stable hydrology, weather, economy and communities. But the current picture of feeding a swelling population with limited resources isn’t rosy.
Buying and eating apples seems a pretty healthy thing to do. But a new study has found that every 1 kilo (2.2 pounds) of conventionally grown apples creates health effects costing 21 cents due to the effects of pesticides and fungicides, resulting in sick leave and eventually shorter life expectancies.
A study published in the journal Advances in Agronomy released findings about the powerful role that organic soil may play in combating climate change.
Jen and Brooks White, along with their children, Sawyer, left, 7, and Piper, 4, run a mixed farm with 600 head of bison and 5,000 acres of annual crops. The Whites grow a diverse rotation of crops, raise bison and aim to reduce inputs as much as possible.
Portland, Oregon based crowdfunding platform, Grow Ahead, has announced the 2018 winners of their Agroecology and Regenerative Organic Agriculture Scholarship. The Agroecology and Regenerative Organic Agriculture scholarship provides women farmers from Africa, Asia, or Latin America with the opportunity to gain further knowledge and experiences to support their farming communities through climate-resilient agroecology projects.
It’s not the cow or the sow, but the how. I hate to break it to all the conscientious consumers who have bought into the idea that completely avoiding meat is the answer to our planet’s environmental woes, but they’ve been misled. Such a message, while well-intentioned, misses the mark. Animals are not the problem; the problem is how they are managed.