Regenerative agriculture: what is it and why does it matter?

What do you see when you imagine a farm? Maybe it’s buzzing bees, birds singing in the trees, and cows resting in the shade. Or maybe you picture animals in cramped cages and dry, cracked soil.

Regenerative farming is about turning that second kind of farm into the first. It’s about healing the land while growing food. And here’s the special part of the story: everyone can be part of this change. Because how we eat either harms the earth, or helps it come alive again.

In this article, we’ll share simple, practical ways you can support regenerative farms in your everyday life. 

But first, what exactly is regenerative farming?

Regenerative farming (or regenerative agriculture) means growing food and helping the planet at the same time. It’s a way of farming that makes the soil healthier, helps wildlife return, and even supports a cooler climate.

This eco-friendly way of growing food combines some of the best ideas from both traditional and modern farming. It’s not just about stopping harmful things, like using too many chemicals. It’s about actively doing good things on purpose, like planting lots of different crops, caring for the soil, making space for nature, and growing food all at once.

Regenerative farming takes a holistic approach, meaning it looks at the whole picture, not just one part. In other words, the farm is treated like an ecosystem.^1 2

The goal is to leave the land better than you found it, while still growing plenty of good food. With some time and care, the soil becomes alive, animals are treated kindly, farmers can make a fair living, and we all get enough to eat.

Did you know? Regenerative agriculture doesn’t follow one strict rulebook, and that can be a good thing. It lets farmers choose what works best for their land. But here’s the catch: without a clear definition, some people might call their food “regenerative” just to sound good. Better guidelines could help us choose the most eco-friendly food.

How to farm regeneratively

So, what do regenerative farmers actually do to help the land?

They grow cover crops

These are plants grown not to eat, but to protect the soil. After the main crop is harvested, the ground isn’t left bare. Instead, farmers plant things like clover or rye. The roots hold the soil in place, like a protective blanket, so it doesn’t wash away in heavy rain or blow off in the wind.

They let animals help out

Animals like cows, sheep, and goats have been part of farming for generations. When they graze, they can help the land by spreading natural fertiliser (manure) and gently working the soil with their hooves. This helps new plants grow. But it has to be managed well. Too many animals in one place, or not enough time for the land to rest, can harm the soil.

They disturb the soil less

Traditional ploughing flips the soil over, which can destroy the tiny homes of earthworms, fungi, and helpful bacteria living underground. Regenerative farmers often use “no-till” methods, planting seeds straight into the soil without digging it up. This keeps the underground community safe and healthy.

They grow lots of different crops

Many large farms grow just one type of crop in the same place year after year, which wears out the soil and attracts pests. Regenerative farmers mix things up by growing different crops together or changing what they plant each season. This helps the soil stay rich and full of life.^{1 2}

How is regenerative farming different? 

Regenerative farming isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It combines useful practices from traditional, organic, and conventional farming in a way that helps grow food while also restoring and caring for the land. Here’s how it compares to other types of farming:

Traditional farming is where techniques are passed down through generations. 

Here are a few key features of traditional farming:

• Mixes animals and crops on the same farm
• Lets land rest and recover
• Uses natural fertilisers like manure or seaweed

Traditional farming shares some practices with regenerative farming, like caring for soil health and biodiversity. But regenerative farming also uses some more modern techniques. 

Conventional farming is the most common way food is grown in Europe today.

It’s efficient for large-scale food production and includes practices like:³

• Chemical fertilisers and pesticides
• Monoculture, which is where you grow one crop at a time
• More indoor enclosures for animals 

Organic farming follows strict rules. 

• Uses only natural fertilisers and pesticides
• Treats animals with more care
• Avoids Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and routine antibiotics
• Still often grows one crop at a time (monocultures)

Organic farming goes a long way towards doing less harm, while regenerative farming aims to go further and do more good. Regenerative farming does not have strict rules, which gives farmers freedom to get creative. But it also means it’s trickier to keep everyone on the same page.

Did you know? Some regenerative farmers may still use chemicals, but only when really needed and in small amounts. They prioritise getting animals outside on the land and growing many different crops.

Regenerative farms in Europe

So, how does regenerative farming work in practice? The following three farms have converted from conventional to regenerative with the support of EIT Food. Let’s take a look around.

Regenerative farming in Spain 

At Poultree, a regenerative farm in Villanueva de la Vera, chickens live outdoors in movable hen houses instead of crowded sheds. Every few days, the farmers roll their little homes to a fresh patch of grass. This gives the land time to rest and recover, while the chickens enjoy foraging for bugs and greens. As they graze, their manure naturally fertilises the soil, helping grass grow back stronger and feeding the nearby trees, which are harvested for timber. It’s a smart, circular system where animals, plants, and soil all support each other.

Because the chickens live active lives outside and eat a varied, natural diet, they’re healthier, and that’s good news for people, too. Several studies show that pasture-raised animals produce meat, milk and eggs with more nutrients and healthier fats.^{4 5} 

People often say that pasture-raised meat tastes richer and juicier, with a more satisfying texture, thanks to the muscle development chickens get from roaming freely on the land. At Poultree, nature is able to do its thing, with a little help from some happy chickens.^{6 7}

Regenerative farming in Czechia

In Radošovice village in Czechia, Vladimir Gut and his sons run a large family farm. They used to plough their fields, but droughts and heavy rains were making it harder to grow crops. So they switched to a regenerative method called no-till farming. 

Now, they plant seeds straight into the remains of the previous crops, without turning the soil. They also grow “companion crops”. These are different plants that grow well together and help protect the soil, reduce pests, and add nutrients to the soil. 

They began by testing no-till farming on 50 hectares to see if it would really work. After a big storm, the ploughed soil washed away, but the no-till soil stayed in place and soaked up the rain like a sponge. This convinced them that regenerative farming was the way forward. Over time, more earthworms appeared, showing the soil was healthier. This meant they needed less fertiliser, saving money and reducing pollution.⁸

Regenerative farming in the Balearic Islands

For years, the farmers at Finca Son Felip in Menorca relied on conventional chemicals to fight weeds and pests. But they were struggling to make a living, and the land wasn’t getting any healthier. So, they decided to try a different path.

Instead of pulling out all the so-called "weeds," they started planting more of them. Why? They found that some wild plants attract helpful insects that eat olive flies, pests that used to damage their olive trees. By working with nature, rather than against it, their farm became more resilient and better equipped to handle challenges.

Now, different parts of the farm support one another. Chickens roam through cow pastures to eat maggots (insect larvae), which keeps flies away from the cows. Manure from horses and leftovers from milling wheat are turned into compost to feed their crops. Like many traditional farmers, they grow a wide mix of things: vegetables, olives, almonds, and ancient wheat varieties. They also produce eggs, honey, and beef.⁹

Finca Son Felip even keeps track of how their work affects the planet, and they’ve found that their farm now absorbs more carbon from the air than it puts out.

How regenerative farming helps the climate  

Most animal farming today harms the planet. It uses a lot of land and water and creates gases that heat up the climate.

But not all animal farming is the same. Regenerative farmers keep animals outside and move them around on grasslands. Their feces feeds the soil, helping plants grow without needing so much chemical fertiliser. Then, healthy plants pull carbon from the air and store it in the ground. (That means fewer gases heating up the climate). 

This kind of farming might help slow climate change. But it’s not perfect. It needs more land, and we’re still learning how well it works on a big scale.^{10 1}

Did you know? Eating less meat, especially in wealthier countries, is still one of the best ways to reduce our impact on the planet. But it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Supporting regenerative livestock farms and eating more plant-based foods can both help.

How to support regenerative farmers 

Regenerative farming offers lots of benefits, but switching to it isn’t always easy for farmers. After years of conventional methods, the soil needs time to recover, and at first, farmers might produce less food without fertilisers and pesticides. Luckily, we can all pitch in to make this change smoother. Here are some simple ways you can support regenerative farming in your everyday life:

Cut down on food waste

When we waste less food, farmers don’t need to grow as much, which means less land and resources are used. Since regenerative farming often requires more space, reducing waste is an important part of the puzzle. 

Choose diverse, seasonal foods

Eating a wider range of fruits, vegetables, and grains supports farms that use crop rotation and diversity, key practices in regenerative farming.

Buy from local farms using regenerative methods

Look for farmers who care for their soil, grow a variety of crops, and raise animals on pasture. If you’re unsure where to start, ask your local butcher, farmers’ market, or veggie shop for recommendations.

Learn more about where your food comes from

Dive into resources. Even by reading this article and sharing what you learn with friends and family will help. The more people understand regenerative farming, the stronger the support for farmers.

Support farmers by subscribing to veggie boxes or joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

This means you get fresh, local food delivered regularly while giving farmers steady income. It’s a great way to connect with your food, and it can often be more affordable than shopping at farmers’ markets.

Encourage shops and restaurants to stock regenerative foods

Let them know you want to see more products that come from farms committed to healing the land. Showing demand can help change what’s on offer.

Did you know? Some foods say “regenerative” even if the farm isn’t helping the land. Without clear rules, it’s hard to know what to believe. Clear and transparent labels can change that. They help us trust what we’re buying, and reward the farmers who are truly caring for the planet.

Creating a new story for farming 

This article has explored the different types of farming practices and showed us where regenerative agriculture fits in. Although there are still unknowns, especially whether it will work at scale, the very fact that the term ‘regenerative’ is being discussed within farming is a good thing. 

Farmers are sometimes portrayed as the “climate bad guys” in the media, but the truth is that many of them care deeply about the land. They work hard every day and are often willing to adopt more regenerative farming practices if they have the right support. By listening to and backing farmers, we can help to generate change and create a new positive story for farming.