Is the Future of Big Dairy Regenerative?

Stonyfield, an organic dairy company, is working with six of its suppliers to pilot how farms can measure the amount of carbon it’s trapping in soil through regenerative farming practices as a way for the company to achieve its goals to cut carbon emissions. The OpenTEAM initiative is working to demonstrate how a dairy farm could improve its soil health to reach carbon net zero and, eventually, have food companies pay its farmers to adopt the new practices.

Maryland farmer Trey Hill became the first seller in a tech startup’s carbon marketplace, paying him $115,000 for initiating regenerative farming practices. By introducing cover crops, he has been able to sequester about 8,000 tons of carbon in the soil, which then buyers can purchase the credits to offset the carbon they produce. If more farmers get on board, supporters say it can be a tangible solution to curbing climate change.

Kitovu Technology is a social enterprise that aims to use data and technology to help farmers in Nigeria increase their crop yields and access new markets. Since 2017, the company has trained over 300 agents to work with about 12,000 farmers on using the mobile app to track their progress. The company also partnered with the government on a pilot program to introduce an electronic warehouse system to allow farmers to store their grains.

Indigo Agriculture, an ag-tech startup, is looking to pay farmers to draw carbon dioxide from the air and store it in the ground, which could help mitigate the effects of climate change and lower greenhouse gas emissions. Other companies that want to offset their own emissions can purchase credits on a carbon exchange. While the market hasn’t opened yet and some experts are skeptical about how much carbon the soil will absorb, Indigo Agriculture has signed up more than 5,000 farmers representing 19.8 million acres of land.

Boutique chocolate makers like Taza Chocolate and Uncommon Cacao have developed a direct-trade "bean-to-bar" model that bypasses exploitative cocoa supply chains by purchasing directly from farmers at transparent, above-market prices.

The Viet Nam Farmers Union rolled out a train-the-trainer program focused on encouraging rice farmers in Vietnam to take up more sustainable practices. This style of training helps farmers overcome any hesitation towards trying new methods by allowing them to learn from their peers and see the success of demonstration plots.

A Nigerian agricultural entrepreneur is embracing hydroponics — a method that grows crops with water and no soil — as an alternative to farming methods that have led to land degradation. Because of Adebowale Onafowora’s knowledge, he has trained more than 20,000 people; and helped set up over 200 hydroponic centers. His inspiration led to the establishment of the Landmark University Greenhouse and Hydroponic Technology Centre, a place for research and training in the technique.

Humus farming is a technique that doesn’t harm the soil or organisms living in it but instead nourishes it, thus making it more sustainable for long-term use. Humus farming and other climate change mitigation tactics to revive soil and make it healthy and usable are spreading across Europe.

By using an agricultural technique that doesn’t use soil to grow crops, a farmer is upending the traditional farming practices in Nigeria and offering job opportunities to those who might otherwise be unemployed. Hydroponics farming is a type of horticulture that grows plants without soil by using mineral nutrient solutions. BIC Farms utilizes the method, which can reduce crop water consumption, and has trained more than 12,000 people on the soilless farming technique. Hydroponics can also help farmers reduce food waste and post-harvest losses.

Agroforestry has become a powerful tool in El Salvador communities and is helping farmers grow crops they otherwise wouldn't be able to. The practices which has played a major role in bringing cacao back to the region, is also beneficial for the climante and ecosystem.