Focused on the concepts of efficient use and preservation of natural resources, regenerative agriculture promotes balance and the need to improve agricultural practices to revitalize the biological processes of agroecosystems.
On this occasion, through the experiences of public-private partnership with Unilever and Fundación Banco Credicoop, specialists from INTA Mendoza-San Juan presented a guide for decision-making, based on the Cuyo region, but that could be implemented in other areas.
“It is a way of understanding and practicing agriculture by harnessing nature’s self-regenerative capacity, through revitalizing its ecological processes,” assures José Portela, a plant ecophysiology researcher at INTA.
The renowned expert in regenerative agriculture added that “it presents itself as an opportunity to meet new demands.” Through this agronomic management, it is possible to achieve more efficient resource use, with stability in yields and cost reduction.
Regenerative agriculture: the plot variables
In this line, Portela acknowledged that “there are no universal recipes or guidelines” and reiterated that each productive system is unique and defined by its own particular characteristics. Even in the same plot, where there are variations in soil conditions, they can be treated in different ways.
This regenerative agriculture protocol was developed by an interdisciplinary team of twelve specialists, belonging to three Experimental Stations of the Mendoza-San Juan Regional Center of INTA.
According to its authors, “regenerative agriculture restores natural functionality to the soil, natural resources, landscapes, and ecosystems.”
For this, it is “essential to focus on the main ecological processes that occur in an agricultural or livestock ecosystem, to work together with nature to sustain and increase productivity in the medium and long term, reducing dependence on external inputs, as well as costs.”
The guide functions as an essential tool that accompanies decision-making and includes a technical document that arises from the demand for technical assistance to implement this methodology in productive systems in Cuyo.
The 10 essential principles of regenerative agriculture
To define each particular strategy, the guide highlights 10 essential principles, based on three fundamental pillars: soil, water, and biodiversity, which interrelate to boost the system’s productive capacity.
The first five principles focus on the soil, a vital resource in any regenerative agriculture strategy. These are minimizing soil tillage; keeping the soil covered with active vegetation; promoting planned crop diversification; ensuring soil’s organic-based nutrition, and preventing wind and water erosion.
The sixth and seventh principles are oriented towards efficient water use and refer to avoiding deep nutrient infiltration and making efficient use of irrigation water.
Finally, the last three principles focus on the conservation and promotion of cultivation-associated biodiversity. They are minimizing the use of chemical inputs; conserving natural and semi-natural habitats, and promoting functional biodiversity.
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