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Earth Day - Regenerating the Earth, Regenerating Our Health
The health of the planet and the health of the people are One, maintained through the cycle of food, the cycle of life, the cycle of regeneration. We are part of nature and of its complex living processes. The earth, food and our bodies are interconnected living systems.
Food is Medicine when it is part of the flow of life, from soil, to plants, to our gut . Biodiversity is food, biodiversity is health. Biodiversity grows biodiversity.
At the heart of an ecological future is a sustained continuum between eating and growing. When this delicate equilibrium is disrupted, the repercussions reverberate across all aspects of life.
Industrial food produced using fossil fuels and fossil chemicals is driving the biodiversity on the land and in our gut to extinction, diminishing our cultural and food diversity, creating hunger and chronic diseases.
From the indiscriminate use of chemicals to the proliferation of GMOs and monocultures, the precedence of trade for profit has wreaked havoc on ecological systems, our health and livelihoods. Globalization has accelerated this destructive trend, exporting a model of food production that prioritizes profit over people.
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Dr. Vandana Shiva and Regeneration International Support Mexico
Dr. Vandana Shiva was the keynote speaker at two events on March 15 and 16, in Mexico City, in support of the Mexican Government’s stand against glyphosate and GMO Maize.
Regeneration International was one of the organizers of these events in partnership with Navdanya International, the Organic Consumers Association, Vía Orgánica, and Sin Maíz No País.
On March 15, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources hosted a scientific forum on the “Protection and conservation of biodiversity in the regions considered as centers of origin of species.” Dr. Shiva was the keynote speaker, and Dr. André Leu was the following speaker on the importance of conserving both agricultural and endemic biodiversity.
The following day, March 16, was a well-attended public event with many speakers. Dr. Shiva gave the closing keynote address to a very receptive and appreciative crowd. Dr. Mercedes Lopez, from Vía Orgánica, gave a rousing speech on the importance of maize to Mexican culture and the need to not contaminate the traditional varieties with GMOs, as this would destroy the fact that Mexico is the center of origin and diversity for this critical food staple.
The Demand Is Clear: Mexico Should Not Postpone the Ban on Glyphosate and GMOs
Last week, over 60 Mexican and international organizations signed a joint letter addressed to Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the people of Mexico to demand the protection of a GMO and glyphosate free country.
The demand is clear: Mexico should not postpone the ban on glyphosate and its associated pesticides as well as GMOs, which have been proved to cause environmental, health, social and economical damage.
This letter is the result of the coordinated work of many organizations including Vía Orgánica, Regeneration International and Organic Consumers Association and has been endorsed by farmers, beekeepers, activists, scientists, organic certifiers and members of academia.
Alternatives to glyphosate already exist in Mexico and other places in the world. Several bio factories have already been set up in Mexico and the Mexican government has stated that new reviews and meta-analyses of hundreds of scientific investigations and field experiences confirm and strengthen the evidence that in diversified and agroecological agriculture there are viable alternatives to glyphosate for producers of different scales.
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Defining “Regenerative Agriculture” in California
At the start of this year, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) established a Regenerative Agriculture Work Group to assist the State Board of Food and Agriculture in defining “Regenerative Agriculture.” We submitted the letter below as our public comment on the matter to represent how we believe the term should be defined.
"Dear CDFA:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the proposed definition of regenerative agriculture in California. Our family company, Dr. Bronner’s, is located in Vista, North County San Diego, employs over 300 people and generated $200 million in net revenue last year. We source our major raw materials from farming communities around the world that are certified to the Regenerative Organic Certified standard. I’m including two blogs I wrote as part of my formal comment here: the first Regenetarians Unite that led to the formation of the Regenerative Organic Certification that we helped launch with our partners at Patagonia and Rodale; and the second Regenerative Agriculture: the Good the Bad and the Ugly.
Summarizing the latter, there’s widespread agreement in the movement about what constitutes regenerative practices on a farm or ranch: managed grazing, cover crops, diverse crop rotations, minimal soil disturbance, etc. However the focus of my blog and comment here is on off-farm feed and synthetic inputs, which is under-appreciated and if not addressed in a real and credible way, will undermine the promise that regenerative agriculture has to mitigate climate change and restore soils."
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The Miyawaki Method: Imagining a Mini-Forest’s Potential
What Is The Miyawaki Method?
Most of us know the term old-growth forest, which refers to natural forests that are still mostly free of human disturbance (though not necessarily free of human presence).
These forests have reached maturity and beyond—a process that often takes centuries. As a result, they host incredible biodiversity and sustain a complex array of ecosystem functions.
The Miyawaki Method is unique in that it re-creates the conditions for a mature natural forest to arise within decades rather than centuries.
At the heart of the method is the identification of a combination of native plant species best suited to the specific conditions at any given planting site. As we’ll see, determining this combination of special plants is not always so straightforward.
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European Food Innovation Alliance Launches €30M Regenerative Agriculture Initiative
A coalition of food innovation organisations in Europe has recently unveiled the Regenerative Innovation Portfolio, a €30 million initiative aimed at advancing regenerative agriculture practices across the continent.
This collaborative effort, led by EIT Food – which is backed by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology – seeks to demonstrate solutions and facilitate partnerships within the agrifood value chains.
Unlike traditional approaches focusing solely on individual farms, the Regenerative Innovation Portfolio adopts a landscape-based strategy, tailored to local contexts. By identifying five priority landscapes across Europe, the initiative aims to foster collaboration among various stakeholders, including regional governments, investors and retailers.
EIT Food has committed €15 million to the Portfolio, with an additional €15 million expected from corporate partners over the next three years. This investment will support landscape initiatives, ecosystem development and inter-landscape learning within the community.
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Essential Reading and Viewing
Agroforestry project sows seeds of hope in drought-hit Honduras
Ivis Rene Cabrera no longer gazes up at the sky in hopes of rain to irrigate his field. He’s come to expect the long dry spells as northwestern Honduras grapples with increasingly longer periods of drought during the dry season. Now, he and the rest of the Indigenous Tolupan community’s gaze is to the ground. Their hope lies in an agroecology project to revive the harvests on their typically fertile lands.
Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area Founded with Seven Acres Donated by Paul Gray
In March of 2024, the “Everglades to Gulf Conservation Area” became the newest unit in the National Wildlife Refuge system. As the 4-million-acre conservation area is protected with acquisitions, easements, and landowner incentive programs, it will protect wildlife corridors, enhance access to outdoor recreation, and bolster climate resilience. We chatted with Dr. Gray to learn more about his hopes for conservation in the region.
Vineyards Are Laying the Groundwork for a Regenerative Farm Future
On a cold, rainy day in late February, it’s hard to picture the bunches of juicy cabernet and chardonnay grapes that will decorate the Vineyards at Dodon’s neat rows of gnarled vines come summer, the fruit ripening in the hot sun. But even during these dormant months, across 17 rolling acres just 30 miles east of Washington, D.C., the landscape is filled with life.
Regenerative Agriculture: A New Value Proposition for Kenya’s Coffee Sector
Regenerative agricultural approaches can empower Kenyan farmers to position coffee in the context of global demand and regulations relating to sustainable production, fair trade, healthy and safe diets.
Report Calls for Agroecological Rethink of Africa’s Food Amid $61b Industrial Plan
Civil society groups have criticized a new $61 billion initiative to industrialize African food systems, calling the plan a “significant threat to small-scale farmers.” The groups, under the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA), say the initiative by the African Development Bank (AfDB) will marginalize smallholders through its one-size-fits-all approach, increase dependency on multinational corporations for seeds and agrochemicals, and lead to the loss of land and biodiversity.
Transforming Agriculture: Inaugural EU Carbon Farming Summit Breaks Ground for Climate-Resilient Practices
As global environmental challenges intensify and the calls for sustainable agricultural solutions grow louder, the first EU Carbon Farming Summit prepares to welcome experts, innovators, and thought leaders from across Europe to discuss innovation and opportunities for carbon farming.
Podcast: Small-Scale Farmers Can Harness Regenerative Agriculture to Lead the Way to a Food-Secure Future IFAD (Investing in Rural People)
“Despite being a major contributor to global emissions, farming might just hold the key to solving the climate crisis. When agriculture is regenerative, it becomes a win-win for people and planet, increasing food security while protecting the environment.
We unpack this method of sustainable farming and explore how small-scale farmers can harness it to lead the way to a food-secure future. Hear from global regenerative agriculture leaders – and learn how IFAD is leveraging their techniques to combat climate change in rural communities. “
Whole landscapes, whole communities - Working with Nature to heal, transform and regenerate landscapes in Southern Africa.
A short animation video that gives an introduction to the Agroecology Landscape work that SKI has been pioneering in seven pilot sites in Southern Africa since 2021.
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Support Our Work
Dear Friends of Regeneration International
Regenerative Agriculture is under attack by agribusiness. The poison cartels such as Bayer/Monsanto and Syngenta, along with their captive government departments, are trying to hijack regenerative agriculture to greenwash their degenerative systems.
“We need your participation and support as we move forward in this world-changing campaign we call Regeneration International. We need to build a massive international alliance to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, to sequester billions of tons of excess atmospheric carbon in our soils and biota, to regenerate billions of acres of degraded ecosystems, to eliminate rural poverty, to reverse our deteriorating public health and to revitalize rural communities all over the globe. The hour is late, but we still have time to regenerate.”
Please support our campaign to stop this greenwashing and ensure Regenerative Agriculture’s integrity by restoring farmer’s independence, promoting social justice, fair trade and regenerating ecological health.
Can you give $10 monthly or a one time donation today to support Regeneration International and our campaigns?
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Upcoming Events |
In Person:
04/23 - Overcoming Challenges in Weed Management in Regenerative Agriculture
04/26 - Curso introductorio en manejo holistico
05/02 - Regenerate - Europe Conference 2024
05/20 - Global Conference on Weather Forecast and Climate Change
Online:
05/01 - Webinar – Overcoming Common Barriers to Organic Certification
05/20 - Webinar - Global Conference on Weather Forecast and Climate Change
05/21 - Webinar - Ancient Wheat the Old Grain with Prospects
*Click here to view full events calendar and submit your own
Photo: Portal AgroChile
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Regeneration International is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit, dedicated to building a global network of farmers, scientists, businesses, activists, educators, journalists, policymakers and consumers who will promote and put into practice regenerative agriculture and land-use practices that: provide abundant, nutritious food; revitalize local economies; regenerate soil fertility and water-retention capacity; nurture biodiversity; and restore climate stability by reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while at the same time drawing down excess atmospheric carbon and sequestering it in the soil.
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