This study conducts a global spatial analysis to identify where four regenerative farming practices can raise yields: (1) agroforestry, (2) cover crops, (3) no‑tillage and (4) organic farming.

Results

Results indicate that agroforestry and cover crops are suitable for increasing yields over most global cropland. However, the potential is accompanied by high uncertainty for large portions of the area – 93 % for agroforestry and 52 % for cover crops.

In contrast, no‑tillage and organic farming are associated with decreases in yield in 70 % and 78 % of cropland, respectively. Nevertheless, no‑tillage could increase yields in several regions, especially in the northern part of North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Western and Eastern Africa, and Southern and Eastern Asia. Areas where organic farming could raise yields are also scattered worldwide, albeit to a lesser extent (see the figure below).

Environmental and climatic drivers

For agroforestry, soil moisture and precipitation of the driest month are the most important drivers. Cover‑crop yields are mainly influenced by precipitation of the driest month and the mean diurnal temperature range, while wheat, vegetables, fruits and other crops respond to a combination of soil properties and climatic factors. Climate characteristics dominate for no‑tillage, but the effects vary across crops: maize is sensitive to specific climate‑ and soil‑variables, whereas rice responds to land‑surface temperature and precipitation of the wettest quarter. For organic farming, slope and soil moisture play a key role, with effects again highly crop‑dependent—maize is mainly affected by climate variables, fruits and vegetables by soil properties, and cereals by topography.

Potential‑area assessment

Globally, no‑tillage would be the most favourable practice on 37.5 % of agricultural land, followed by cover crops (7.4 %), agroforestry (3.5 %) and organic farming (1.5 %). The highest coverage for no‑tillage is found in the Middle East and North Africa and in North America; the lowest coverage occurs in Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia and Sub‑Saharan Africa. Agroforestry potential is concentrated in South Asia and Sub‑Saharan Africa, with a secondary focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. Cover crops could be particularly productive in Sub‑Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, and East Asia and the Pacific. The study does not model interactions between practices but highlights regions where a “stack” of regenerative practices could be mutually beneficial, underscoring the need to investigate synergistic effects further.

Conclusions

The analysis offers a first global overview of the yield‑improvement potential of regenerative farming practices, but uncertainties remain due to the uneven distribution of primary studies and limitations in the accuracy of the geospatial datasets used. The authors therefore recommend expanding experimental trials into under‑represented regions to strengthen the evidence base for global assessments. Local ground‑truthing will be essential before promoting any specific practice in a particular location..