As the foundation of agriculture and our global food system, soil health is vital.
When soil is healthy, the benefits are multifaceted. Soil filters water, supplies nutrients, while also supporting a habitat for billions of organisms, forming a diverse ecosystem. These properties enable soil to improve water quality, store carbon, boost biodiversity, and mitigate flood risks.1
Soil is responsible for 90% of all food, feed, fiber and fuel production in the EU.2 In the US, it is estimated that soil health supports around 95% of all food production, with agriculture relying heavily on it for ecosystem services like water filtration and carbon sequestration.3 In APAC, the importance of healthy soil is critical as Asia is home to almost 60% of the global population.4
Maintaining soil health is essential for sustaining life, yet degradation poses a significant threat. When soil health declines, it loses its ability to support plants and animals. Data from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) shows that 33% of the Earth’s soils are already degraded, with projections suggesting this could rise to 90% by 2050.5
“Regenerative agriculture is essential for cultivating healthy soils that act as a natural carbon sink, capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide to help mitigate climate change while enhancing soil fertility along with enhanced nutrient availability and improved biodiversity. By adopting regenerative practices, farmers become key partners in the global climate effort, contributing to a sustainable future,” says Dr. Shailendra Mishra, Global Head of Sustainability within Food and Feed at Olam Agri.
Soil erosion by water is the main soil degradation process worldwide. While erosion by water, and wind, can result naturally from climatic conditions, it is drastically accelerated by human activities like intensive agriculture and deforestation.6
The effects of soil erosion are far-reaching: it reduces agricultural productivity, diminishes ecosystem functions, heightens risks such as landslides and floods, and leads to substantial biodiversity loss. In severe cases, it can also lead to displacement of communities.6
In the APAC region, major causes of soil degradation include salinization, loss of organic matter and chemical degradation.
Regenerative agriculture: Improving and maintaining soil health
Regenerative agriculture, a transformative approach to farming, promotes soil health through practices like cover cropping, crop rotation, no tillage, reduced chemical use, optimized fertilizer use and holistic grazing.
These techniques boost soil fertility, enhance water retention, increase biodiversity, sequester carbon, and contribute to more resilient agricultural systems. Implemented at the landscape level, regenerative agriculture enables farmers and stakeholders to engage with local communities, restore natural habitats, and manage water sustainably, impacting both farm-level outcomes and the surrounding ecosystem.
Growing awareness of the importance of soil health, together with increasing pressure on the agricultural industry to adopt more environmentally sustainable methods, has highlighted the need for industry-wide adoption of regenerative practices that enhance soil structure, increase nutrient availability and support biodiversity.
As soil degradation and nutrient loss impact agricultural productivity, the industry is increasingly recognizing that long-term viability and profitability depend on prioritizing practices that foster soil health.
To put these practices into action, farmers and agricultural companies are turning to techniques such as adding organic matter – compost, manure and crop residues – to help retain moisture, improve soil structure, and support beneficial microorganisms. Implementing cover crops and minimizing tillage can also protect against erosion, conserve water and maintain soil stability.
Additionally, adopting agroforestry practices can enhance biodiversity, enriching the soil with varied nutrients while preventing pest buildup. These regenerative methods work together to create resilient soil ecosystems that are capable of withstanding environmental stresses and can contribute to the long-term sustainability and profitability of the agricultural industry.
Enhancing soil health: Improving soil organic matter
Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach to farming that focuses on improving soil health and ecosystem functions. A key advantage of regenerative agriculture is its ability to sequester carbon. Soil organic carbon (SOC), a vital measure of soil health, is directly linked to soil organic matter (SOM), and is a result of ecosystem processes like photosynthesis and decomposition. SOC stores atmospheric CO2, a vital climate function that could be compromised if soil degradation continues.
By promoting natural processes like photosynthesis and organic matter accumulation, regenerative practices increase SOC and convert atmospheric CO2 into stable plant biomass. Soil carbon sequestration plays an important role in climate change mitigation. By storing carbon within the soil, agricultural practices can help lower CO2 levels in the atmosphere. This transformation of farmland into carbon sinks positions agriculture as a valuable contributor in addressing the climate crisis.
In addition to carbon sequestration, regenerative agriculture provides substantial nature-positive impacts. Healthier soils support biodiversity, water quality, and ecosystem resilience, creating diverse habitats for beneficial organisms and pollinators that are essential for sustainable food systems.8
Moreover, regenerative agriculture directly improves farmer livelihoods – a critical but often overlooked benefit. By enhancing soil health and structure, regenerative practices reduce the need for costly fertilizers and other inputs, optimizing production costs for farmers and improving resilience.
Commitment to regenerative agriculture
Olam Agri is a leader in food, feed and fiber in high-growth emerging markets with proven expertise, processing capabilities and a global origination footprint. The company is committed to regenerative agriculture across its global supply chains, particularly in cotton and rice.
As the world’s most widely used natural fiber, the production of cotton supports the livelihood of over 350 million people globally, including between 50-100 million farmers.9
However, cotton is highly sensitive to climate change due to vulnerability to extreme weather events like flooding and strong wind, inconsistent moisture levels impacting development and crop loss due to insects and diseases thriving in warmer conditions. These effects make sustainable practices essential.
In 2024, Olam Agri launched the largest certified regenerative agriculture programme globally in the cotton supply chain to meet the growing demand for traceable and sustainably grown cotton.10 This covers cotton produced in the United States and Côte d’Ivoire, with Australia and Brazil to follow. Through initiatives such as rainwater harvesting, minimal soil disturbance, organic manure application and agroforestry, Olam Agri is helping cotton farmers improve resilience against climate change.
In Asia Pacific, Olam Agri has been collaborating with the public and private sectors since 2016 to amplify the reach and impact of its regenerative agriculture projects. These efforts are realised through various sustainable rice programmes currently in implementation across India, Thailand and Vietnam, the top three rice exporting nations that collectively account for nearly 70% of the world’s rice.
To create a sustainable global model that is scalable, Olam Agri works closely with governments, donors, civil society, customers and influential players in the rice industry to drive these programmes.
"The shift to regenerative agriculture poses challenges like limited access to finance, training, and markets. Olam Agri is attuned to these needs and addresses them through a 4P framework, partnering with public, private, and philanthropic institutions to remove bottlenecks to regenerative agriculture and ensure farmers have the tools, training, and market access needed for success," says Dr. Mishra.
Through these partnerships and initiatives, Olam Agri aims to accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture practices, enhancing the sustainability and resilience of food and agricultural systems worldwide.
References
1. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Soil Biodiversity.
2. European Environment Agency. Soil.
3. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Healthy soils are the basis for healthy food production.
4. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.
5. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Global Symposium on Soil Erosion.
6. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Status of the World’s Soil Resources. P.374, P.291.
7. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. New programme to boost soil productivity and reduce soil degradation in Africa.
8. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Global Soil Partnership.
9. Market information. The European market potential for sustainable cotton.
10. Olam Agri. Olam Agri Launches Global Regenerative Agriculture Programme To Offer Traceable and Sustainably Grown Cotton.
