Ambitious partnerships are key to scaling regenerative agriculture

Climate change continues to be one of the most critical issues of our time. The science shows we must pursue efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5 °C above-preindustrial levels to avoid the worst effects of climate change. However, we can only do that by achieving net zero emissions by 2050, meaning the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere is equal to the amount removed from the atmosphere, resulting in no net increase in atmospheric concentrations of these gases.

To achieve net-zero emissions, global greenhouse gas emissions must be significantly reduced from human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, as well as agriculture.

The deployment of sustainable farming methods is one of several levers we can pull to reduce emissions and decarbonise the agriculture sector (alongside reforestation, afforestation, and other nature-positive solutions). We need to employ sustainable practices that maintain the health of the world’s soil not only so it can continue to produce for generations to come, but also so it can sequester large amounts of carbon – keeping it locked in the ground and out of the atmosphere.

‘Regenerative agriculture’ is a system of farming that helps to rebuild the health of our soils while producing food to feed the world. The principles of regenerative agriculture are based on agriculture practices adaptive to local physical conditions and culture. Such principles include maintaining living roots in soil, maximising diversity of crops, minimizing soil disturbance through reduced tillage, continuously covering soil by using cover crops, and responsibly managing use of fertilizer and pesticides.

Regenerative agriculture isn’t a new concept, but it’s only in recent years that the benefits of employing regenerative agriculture practices have become more widely acknowledged. These benefits span the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through the sequestration of carbon, an improvement to water quality, the promotion of soil biodiversity and healthier soil which boosts farming yields over the long term.

If we are to build a more sustainable agriculture industry, scaling the practice of regenerative agriculture in the supply chain is critical. We know it makes good environmental sense, and it makes good business sense too. Employing regenerative agriculture in supply chains helps companies deliver on their Scope 3 emissions targets. It also helps them meet the growing consumer demand for more sustainable products, while aligning with stakeholder expectations for companies to contribute net positive change for people and the planet.

With a value chain that stretches from more than 200,000 producers to downstream customers spanning food, feed, fuel, industrial and consumer products, ADM is well placed to scale regenerative agriculture practices globally. To encourage farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture methods in our upstream supply chain, we recently expanded our regenerative agriculture programme, ensuring more North American producers can earn additional income while making a positive impact on the environment and their soil’s health.

Forging ambitious industry partnerships is fundamental to scaling sustainable agriculture around the globe. Recognising that one company alone cannot single-handedly solve the industry’s sustainability challenges, ADM has entered collaborations with several of our customers in our downstream supply chain to increase the funding pool, allowing us to expand regenerative agricultural initiatives to more farmers. For example, in September 2022, ADM and PepsiCo signed a 7-year agreement to collaborate on projects that aim to significantly expand regenerative agriculture across their shared North American supply chains with the intention to roll out the partnership to other regions in the months to come.

In Europe, ADM forged a partnership with Carlsberg earlier this year to scale regenerative barley in the UK. Initiating the transition towards using 100% regenerative barley in the UK, the partnership involves 23 farmers. It will result in an estimated 7,000 tonnes of regenerative barley by the end of 2023–enough to make 96 million pints. The partnership also includes collaboration with the agriculture consultancy Ceres Rural, to create a regenerative agricultural protocol that considers the specific requirements for UK farmers. ADM’s role in this specific partnership is primarily focused on championing the benefits of regenerative agriculture to farmers and helping to launch the initiative commercially through relevant supply contracts.

Agriculture and land use are critical components of any comprehensive decarbonisation strategy, and the importance of regenerative agriculture cannot be overstated. Continuing to scale up the agriculture sector’s actions through partnerships will put us on track to contribute significantly to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate against climate change. Industry action and collaboration today are essential to achieve the scale and impact required for tomorrow.