A new critical review, published in the journal CABI Agriculture and Bioscience, highlights the emergence and scientific basis of regenerative agriculture proposing a working definition centered on ecological cycles and farm system outcomes.
Dr. Nicholas Bardsley, author of the paper from the Department of Agri-Food Economics and Marketing at the University of Reading, suggests that as global agriculture faces intensifying soil degradation, climate disruption, and ecological breakdown, there is a need for a deeper re-evaluation of how food is produced and what it means to farm regeneratively.
Drawing from peer-reviewed science, gray literature, practitioner perspectives, and the latest soil ecology, the review examines the rise of regenerative agriculture (RA) and its potential to transform farming systems from extractive to restorative.
The review offers a critical yet constructive assessment of RA's practices, definitions, and evidence base, positioning it as a farmer-led, soil-centered movement grounded in the principles of ecological restoration.
Redefining regenerative agriculture
While regenerative agriculture is gaining traction globally, its definition remains contested, Dr. Bardsley in the review suggests. He posits that it is farming geared towards working with and enhancing natural nutrient, carbon, and hydrological cycles for agricultural benefit.
This is grounded in research with self-identified RA farmers, as well as soil science literature and agroecological theory. Rather than prescribing specific methods, it emphasizes observable outcomes improved soil function, biological activity, and resilience allowing flexibility across farming contexts.
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