Regenerative agriculture produces healthier food and can accumulate up to 35% more carbon in the soil than conventional agriculture

In recent years, regenerative agriculture has been consolidating itself as a scientifically based agri-food model capable of maintaining a balance between nature, the needs of the agricultural sector and adaptation to climate change. In this sense, the final results of the RegeneraCat project provide new evidence of the benefits of this model compared to the conventional one . Among the most outstanding findings, the team has verified that food produced using regenerative techniques is healthier. In addition, the data also reveal that regenerative soil stores more carbon compared to conventional soil, in some cases up to 35% more; it is capable of absorbing more water and hosts more biodiversity.

The initiative, led by CREAF, managed by the Agency for the Management of University and Research Grants (AGAUR), and financed through the Climate Fund of the Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, has had the participation of four Catalan farms -one in each province- that have been applying the regenerative model for several years in vegetable plots (Verdcamp Fruits), vineyards (Família Torres), fruit trees (Pomona Fruits) and grazing cows (Planeses). There, samples and data have been collected for two years to compare conventional regenerative plots.

Specifically, the nutritional analysis was carried out on five foods from three of the participating farms: pumpkins and courgettes from Verdcamp Fruits, pears from Pomona Fruits, and milk and yoghurt from Planeses. “There are few studies that, like this one, have evaluated the nutritional density of foods obtained with regenerative techniques,” says Dolores Raigón, a researcher at the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

In the case of regenerative pumpkins, it has been found that they have a higher mineral content ; this implies a greater contribution of essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body. They also have more antioxidant substances than conventional ones, “which helps reduce cellular oxidative stress and promotes greater protection against diseases ”, highlights Raigón. For their part, regenerative production zucchini contain more soluble solids, ash -mineral content- and proteins, which generally translates into a greater nutritional density.

As for Pomona Fruits pears , they stand out for their balance in the concentration of acids and total sugars, “making them more balanced in taste, neither too sweet nor too sour”. In addition, they have double the antioxidant capacity and a higher carbohydrate content , “being, therefore, more energetic”.

Milk from cows from the Planeses regenerative farm, on the other hand, has a clearly lower atherogenic index . “This means that there are fewer fatty acids associated with the formation of plaques in the arteries”, adds the researcher. In the case of regenerative yogurt, the results are even more positive, since it has lower atherogenic and thrombogenic indices - which measure the tendency of fats to favor the formation of clots in the blood -. “In general, this is associated with a healthier lipid profile, with a lower cardiovascular risk and the formation of thrombi”.

Regarding soil analysis, the most significant differences were observed on the Verdcamp Fruits and Pomona Fruits farms. In particular, it was detected that the concentration of carbon in the soil is at least 35% higher on regenerative land compared to conventional plots. In the case of the Familia Torres farm, a positive evolution is observed, although in rainfed and woody crops, such as vineyards, the changes are slower.

Regarding water retention capacity, they have detected that it is at least 9% higher in regenerative plots . “This increase means that they can absorb more water in the event of a flood and have more reserves in the event of a drought,” points out Sara Marañón, a researcher at CREAF. The study also shows that the regenerative model maintains the soil microclimate better, “this is very positive because, for example, it dampens the temperature when it is hot and the humidity is maintained better.

In addition, a greater diversity of bacteria, fungi and microarthropods has also been observed in the soil, and several of the species detected are bioindicators of a better quality of the ecosystem. “For example, species recognized as commercial biopesticides appear , such as Metarhizium sp. , which can act as natural pest control,” explains Xavier Domene, a researcher at CREAF.

During this project, the richness of flowers and insects such as bees, butterflies and hoverflies has also been analyzed. Among the results, it has been observed that in the regenerative fields of all four farms there is a greater variety of flowers, especially on the margins, “this is positive because, the more flowers there are, the more likely we will have that insects will visit the crops and improve production and quality ”, explains Iraima Verkaik, CREAF technician.

The team also observed that radish fruits exposed to the regenerative fields, which are used as indicator plants, contained 10% more seeds . This is important because a higher number of seeds usually indicates more complete pollination, which translates into better-formed fruits.

The project also analyzed the costs and production of different foods on the four farms: pears on the Pomona Fruits farm, vegetables on Verdcamp fruits, grapes on Familia Torres and milk on Planeses. The final results confirm those already obtained during the first year: once the health of the soil is restored on a regenerative farm, this model can produce the same amount of food as the conventional one and do so at a similar or lower cost.

The project has been financed by the Climate Fund of the Department of Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition, which is fed by 50% of the income obtained from the tax on CO2 emissions from mechanical traction vehicles and 20% of the collection of the tax on facilities that affect the environment. The general director of Climate Change and Environmental Quality, Sonsoles Letang, wanted to highlight that “ projects like RegeneraCat demonstrate that the fight against climate change is also an opportunity to transform our production model and make it more resilient, healthy and competitive and that the Climate Fund is a key tool to make this transition possible, since it allows the reinvestment of resources from environmental taxation in scientifically based initiatives that bring tangible benefits to the territory, the agricultural sector and the general public”.