Food and land use systems are intricately intertwined sub-Saharan Africa’s food security and development agenda. 70 per cent of livelihoods and close to one-quarter GDPs in the region in the region have a direct link to food and land use.

Africa still struggles with bridging the yield gap with farmer reaching only 25 to 30 per cent of their potential. Massive society-wide gains could be attained if yields are sustainably increased. On the other hand, food systems are increasing pressure on local ecosystems and contributing to global climate change.

Changing environmental conditions and consumption patterns are also presenting challenges that perpetuate poverty, social economic inequalities and diminishing ecosystem services.

To deal with the complex problem of food security, poverty reduction, environmental degradation and climate change adaptation, governments and development partners strive to follow integrated approaches to attain development results that meet the needs of people today and safeguard resources for future generations.

Regenerative agriculture offers an opportunity to tackle and fix challenges faced in food systems thereby protecting human and environmental health and maintaining the current and future integrity of global ecosystems.

Some of the key regenerative practices followed by AGRA are as
follows:

1. Minimum tillage to reduce the oxidation of soil carbon, leading to higher soil carbon sequestration and increased water and nutrient holding capacity.

2. Increase soil cover to reduce soil erosion and increased biomass through cover crops, regreening of landscapes;

3. Enhanced biodiversity to increase productivity per unit area, improve land use and reduce pest and disease incidences;

4. Improving soil water holding capacity of farms and grazing areas

5. Improved crop-livestock integration and nutrient cycling

Early lessons and emerging finding show that regenerative agriculture not only contributes to environmental goals but also makes economic sense:

• The cost of greenhouse gas emissions released in sub-Saharan Africa is estimated to be US$270 billion annually mainly from deforestation and land use changes from the food sector. The biggest driver of this deforestation. Today sub Saharan Africa losses 2.7 million hectares of forest each year, contributing over 1,600 tonnes of CO2 to global GHG emissions. Implementing regenerative agriculture opens an opportunity to reinvest these monies into development programmes

• US$140 billion from irreversible environmental degradation from damage to soils and water, compromising agricultural yields and eroding sub-Saharan Africa’s ability to produce for its people.

• US$90 billion from undernutrition. Child undernutrition contributes to just under 700,000 deaths every year causing reductions in productivity due to illnesses and development challenges.

• US$80 billion in the cost of inadequate rural livelihoods leading to a failure to provide a decent living for 350 million people working and living in rural areas in unsustainable food and land use system traps in a cycle of poverty.