Regenerative Agriculture: beyond sustainability, toward regeneration
“In short, regenerative agriculture is a system of farming principles and practices that seeks to rehabilitate and enhance the entire ecosystem of the farm.” – The Climate Reality Project
What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Regenerative agriculture goes well beyond organic and sustainable practices. Its goal isn’t just to maintain, but reverse the decline of agro-ecosystems and kickstart a new ecology that is continually restoring itself. It is a holistic management system that values the microbes in the soil as much as it does food security and the whole engine of food production. As a result, the farmer, the soil and the biodiversity all become richer.
Our Regen Ag Facility
Although regenerative agriculture minimises external inputs, it is knowledge intensive and context specific. Grounded supports our network of tens of thousands of African smallholder farmers transition towards regenerative agriculture through practical training and adaptive implementation. Our approach focuses on key short- and long-term benefits at both ends of the agronomic spectrum:
- Product quality and yield, leading to higher farmer incomes through price premiums.
- Soil and system interventions that drive long-term resilience.
The Regen Ag Facility consists of grants that subsidise these efforts across the group.
Success stories
Simalaha Incubator Farm Company (Zambia)
Intensive production blocks, crop rotations, biochar and green manure applications increased soil organic matter by 250% in pilot blocks. We are training farmers to produce their own disease- suppressant compost and bio-stimulants.
The Honeybush Company (South Africa)
Regenerative support sometimes goes beyond the soil. We supported the implementation of South Africa’s first Honeybush Access and Benefit Sharing Agreement, to ensure indigenous communities share in the value
Trianon Spices (Tanzania)
We established traceability with organic certification for 450 farmers within two years, followed by agronomic and post-harvest handling training for 2,047 farmers.
Regenerative Incubator Farm
Simalaha Incubator Farm Company (IFC)
Although regenerative agriculture minimises external inputs, it is knowledge intensive and context specific. Grounded supports our network of tens of thousands of African smallholder farmers transition towards regenerative agriculture through practical training and adaptive implementation. Our approach focuses on key short- and long-term benefits at both ends of the agronomic spectrum:
Achieving sustainable income growth through depth over scale
Smallholder empowerment schemes in Zambia are typically driven by international NGOs or CSR departments and often prioritise scale over depth of impact, resulting in income changes that are small, cyclical, and/or fleeting.
In contrast, Simalaha IFC farmers experience a 90% increase in income in their first year, growing to an estimated 285% increase by year five.
The impact of Simalaha IFC on farmers’ lives, heard directly from the farmers
I bought a water pump and PVC pipe, my children have normal meals and my income has changed. I also no longer have to spend money on chemicals at my home farm.
Limpo, IFC Farmer
Before joining the IFC I didn’t have enough money to sustain my business selling bread and oranges. Now I can do this and I have built my family a house with cement walls. I am practising regen in my garden at home.
Precious, IFC
I have received knowledge and experience in organic farming and have copied this to my home garden. I can buy food and put my kids through school.
Maurice, IFC Farmer
