Is Synthetic Intervention Part of Regenerative Farming?

When people think of regenerative farming, they often conjure up images of a hippie farming community singing “Khumbaya” as they plant and nurture every seed by hand. Ok, perhaps I am exaggerating a tad, but my point is that regenerative agriculture is and should be for everyone, from the commune to the commercial. And it doesn’t mean abandoning everything you’ve ever learned and burning all the synthetic fertiliser you bought for the season (please don’t). In fact, there is a place for the use of synthetic intervention in regenerative farming. 

I recently visited a prominent grower in Clanwilliam, Patrysvlei Boerdery, run by the Bergh Family. When chatting to John Bergh about his regenerative approach, he mentioned that he has had considerable losses when trying to maximise yield and quality without inorganic/pesticide intervention. So, what they do now is take a crop as far as they can on an organic/regenerative program, switching to synthetic products when necessary to ensure they get a viable outcome.

Trigger warning for vegans! 

I’m probably going to get in a lot of trouble here, but focusing on regenerative agriculture with chemical intervention where necessary can be compared to having a more flexible approach to one’s dietary rules. For example, instead of a plant-exclusive/vegan diet, you move to a plant-based diet: primarily plants, but you will eat animal products when your body needs them or if they’re the only option available. The focus is on the result (what your body needs), not the philosophy (what your brain has said you must do). Similarly, it’s beneficial for the farmer looking to adopt regenerative farming not to take an all-or-nothing stance on their principles, but to focus holistically on what’s best for the farm. And, just like every human body, every farm is unique and requires a customised approach to help it thrive. You need to use your own intuition and experience to decide what’s best for your farm. 

It all comes down to a question of context

Every farm is different, every crop, and every nutrition/spray program is different, so you need to be able to adapt where necessary. With thousands of soil types, growing zones, rainfall levels, markets and cultures, there’s no one-size-fits-all suite of regenerative practices that will work everywhere. We need to honour and encourage local experimentation and meet farmers where they are in their respective journeys. 

That’s the difference between certified organic and regenerative agriculture—you are not held with an (organically-sourced) gun to your head if you are a regenerative farmer using chemicals to save your crop. As a certified organic farmer, you could risk losing your whole crop if you can’t use a chemical where necessary. It’s also worth mentioning that organic certification doesn’t necessarily ensure ecosystem health. Sure, an organic farmer may not use any chemicals, but they could also be doing things like tilling the heck out the soil and replacing grasslands with monocultures, none of which is consistent with ecosystem regeneration—but it is certified organic. 

Choosing the best of the bunch 

These days, chemical companies are under massive pressure to produce environmentally safe or soft outcomes. All pesticides are colour-coded based on their rating of toxicity etc. This allows the discerning farmer to choose a soft option to do the job.

And, trust me, as you regenerate your soil, your need for synthetic chemical inputs will lessen and ultimately slip away. You’ll no longer pay for chemical inputs or irrigation if you don’t have to, and you won’t have to if your soils and soil biologies are replenished and thriving.

Regeneration is either happening, or it’s not 

An important thing to remember is that regeneration is objectively measurable: it’s either happening, or it’s not. If you’re starting to see long-term improvements in above and below-ground biodiversity, soil organic matter, water retention and soil structure, well done—you’re now a regenerative farmer, no matter how small the change may seem for now! With this regeneration comes real hope for water and food security, the conservation of natural biodiversity, encouraging carbon drawdown, and maintaining a livable planet in the face of the climate crisis.

Do it your way 

The transition to regenerative farming should be empowering, not overwhelming. And it’s just that—a transition; a balance between ensuring yield quality and quantity while improving soil health and long-term sustainability. If you need guidance on the technologies, processes and products that can help you adopt regenerative farming practices in your own time and on your own terms, please feel free to send me an email: [email protected].