Regenerative Agriculture
Reviewed by Maria Coronado Robles, Sustainability Content Principal at xUnlocked · Last updated July 2026 Regenerative agriculture is a farming approach focused on restoring and improving the health of the land it uses — rebuilding soil organic matter, increasing biodiversity, and strengthening water cycles — rather than simply sustaining current conditions or minimising harm. It goes a step beyond conventional sustainable farming: where sustainable practices aim to maintain existing resources, regenerative practices aim to actively rebuild them, leaving soil, ecosystems and farming communities in better condition than before. It's gaining real commercial traction: the global regenerative agriculture market was valued at $14.5 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $49.1 billion by 2033, and Regenerative Organic Certified®, the leading certification standard, now covers over 22 million acres worldwide.
What are the core practices of regenerative agriculture?
Minimal or no tillage. Reducing soil disturbance protects soil structure, the fungal networks and microorganisms living in it, and the carbon already stored there.
Cover cropping. Planting crops between main growing seasons keeps soil covered and living roots in the ground year-round, reducing erosion and feeding soil biology.
Diverse crop rotation. Rotating and diversifying crops disrupts pest and disease cycles, reduces reliance on synthetic inputs, and builds more resilient soil ecosystems than continuous monocropping.
Rotational and holistic grazing. Managing livestock movement to mimic natural grazing patterns allows pasture to rest and regrow, building soil carbon and plant diversity rather than degrading rangeland.
Reduced synthetic inputs. Cutting back on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides in favour of compost, manure and biological pest management supports the soil microbiome that regenerative systems depend on.
What are the benefits of regenerative agriculture?
The core claim behind regenerative agriculture is that healthier soil delivers benefits across several fronts at once, rather than trading one off against another. Ecologically, practices like reduced tillage and cover cropping increase soil organic carbon, improve water retention and reduce erosion, while greater crop and habitat diversity supports pollinators and other biodiversity. Economically, farmers adopting regenerative practices often see reduced input costs over time as reliance on synthetic fertiliser and pesticides falls, alongside greater resilience to drought and extreme weather thanks to healthier, more water-retentive soil. For food and agriculture businesses further up the supply chain, regenerative sourcing has also become a way to build supply chain resilience and respond to investor and consumer scrutiny of how raw materials are produced.
What are the challenges facing regenerative agriculture?
No single legal definition. Unlike "organic," which has binding regulatory standards in most major markets, "regenerative" is not a legally protected term almost anywhere — which leaves room for inconsistent use and makes independent certification schemes like Regenerative Organic Certified® important reference points.
Transition costs and yield risk. Farmers often face a multi-year transition period with upfront costs and yield uncertainty before the full benefits of rebuilt soil health materialise, which can be a real barrier without financial or technical support.
Measurement difficulty. Soil carbon and biodiversity outcomes are harder to measure consistently than, say, a tonne of grain, which complicates efforts to verify claims or design carbon credit and payment schemes around regenerative outcomes.
Diminishing sequestration returns. Soil can sequester carbon relatively quickly in the early years after regenerative practices are adopted, but the rate slows as soil carbon stocks approach saturation — meaning regenerative agriculture is a valuable but not unlimited climate lever.
For a fuller introduction to how regenerative practices are reshaping farming and the wider food system — including how they can improve financial returns for farmers and businesses — see Introduction to Regenerative Agriculture & the Food System, a pathway on Sustainability Unlocked.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between regenerative and organic agriculture?
Organic agriculture is a regulated standard focused primarily on avoiding synthetic pesticides, fertilisers and GMOs. Regenerative agriculture is a broader, outcomes-focused approach centred on actively rebuilding soil health, biodiversity and ecosystem function — and doesn't automatically require organic certification, though the two overlap heavily in practice. Some certifications, like Regenerative Organic Certified®, combine both: they require organic certification as a baseline and add further requirements for soil health, animal welfare and farmworker fairness on top.
Does regenerative agriculture reduce crop yields?
It depends on the timeframe and the specific system. Many farms see a transition period with yield variability as soil biology rebuilds, but evidence suggests well-managed regenerative systems can match or exceed conventional yields over the longer term, particularly under drought or other stress conditions, thanks to improved soil water retention. Outcomes vary significantly by crop, region and how the transition is managed.
How does regenerative agriculture help with climate change?
Healthier soil stores more organic carbon, pulling it out of the atmosphere and into the ground. Regenerative practices can sequester meaningful amounts of carbon, particularly in the years immediately following adoption, though the rate slows over time as soil carbon stocks saturate. It's best understood as one significant tool among several for agricultural climate mitigation, rather than a complete solution on its own.
