In the wake of the climate crisis and declining profitability in coffee production, regenerative agriculture has emerged as a transformative solution. 

First defined by the Rodale Institute in the early 1980s, the term encompasses a wide range of farming practices that support producers’ long-term environmental and economic resilience. One of its guiding principles is improving soil health to increase productivity, minimise environmental impact, and grant farmers more control over their own supply chains.

Both large and small players in the industry are showcasing their support of and participation in these practices. Multi-nationals like Nestlé, Starbucks, illycaffè, and Lavazza are investing heavily in regenerative farming, while third wave roasters and traders such as Equator, Sucafina, Heirloom, Belco, and Bella Barista are increasingly sourcing Regenerative Organic Certified coffees.

These sector-wide shifts signal a new trend of adopting and encouraging more holistic farming practices. But to avoid the pitfalls of greenwashing and sustainable buzzword gimmicks, more work needs to be done to understand and measure these practices.

I spoke to Jorge Cuevas, Chief Coffee Officer at Sustainable Harvest, Jeff Chean, co-founder of Groundwork Coffee, and Gabriel Agrelli Moreira, Manager of Quality and Market Development at Daterra Coffee, to learn more.

Interested in attending an event about regenerative agriculture and soil health? Learn more about PRF: Farm Summit here.

The re-emergence of regenerative agriculture in coffee

The claim “regenerative” has appeared on a growing range of products in recent years, from clothing brands like Patagonia to Dr. Bronner’s soap to coffee. Although the Rodale Institute helped coin the term “regenerative agriculture” in the 1980s, the concept is far from new.

For centuries, indigenous farming communities have established and implemented regenerative farming practices that protect local ecosystems and preserve soil health, many of which are still used today.

According to Rodale’s definition, which helped bring regenerative farming to the forefront of sustainable agriculture, there is no one specific practice but rather a combination of holistic approaches that focus on increasing soil quality, conservation, and biodiversity. These include:

• Using natural fertilisers such as compost, manure, and biochar
• Integrating agroforestry systems with crop rotation and intercropping
• Anchoring soil with mulch and cover crops
• Integrating livestock grazing
• Limiting soil disturbance from practices such as tilling 
• Relying on natural pest control methods by promoting biodiversity
• Using biological products to control fungal and bacterial diseases

Jorge Cuevas is the Chief Coffee Officer at specialty coffee importer Sustainable Harvest. “The principles of regenerative agriculture often align with established good agricultural practices (GAPs) and organic farming methods,” he says. “From our perspective, and that of many farmers we collaborate with, regenerative agriculture builds upon these foundations, offering a more adaptive approach to the realities of climate change.”

As the climate crisis leads to ongoing “systemic shocks” to coffee production, improving farmers’ productivity and climate resilience has never been more pressing. The ultimate goal of regenerative agriculture is to safeguard crops against unpredictable weather, pests, and diseases. With environmental due diligence becoming a priority for both large companies and smaller specialty brands in the coffee industry, investment in regenerative practices is noticeably increasing.

Interest in regenerative coffee is growing

Global intensive food production is responsible for up to a third of annual anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions and the majority of global eutrophication of surface waters. To address these issues, many governments have turned their attention to sustainable food systems. In December 2023, UN officials at COP28 acknowledged for the first time that sustainable agriculture (including regenerative farming) is a key part of addressing climate change.

In line with government and agency goals to reduce carbon emissions and minimise the impact of climate change, a number of key players in the coffee industry have showcased their commitment to regenerative agriculture. Nestlé aims to buy at least 50% regenerative-sourced ingredients by 2030, while Starbucks is investing in regenerative agriculture, reforestation, forest conservation, and water replenishment in its supply chains.

Growing investment has inevitably led to the emergence of various certification schemes, most notably the Regenerative Organic Certified scheme developed by the Regenerative Organic Alliance.

Jeff Chean is the co-founder of Californian roaster Groundwork Coffee, which sources organic coffee. In 2022, Groundwork became the world’s first roaster to be certified by the Regenerative Organic Alliance.

“Regenerative agriculture is gaining more recognition because we’re feeling the impact of global warming more and more each year,” he says. 

A steadily increasing number of third wave roasters and traders – Sustainable Harvest, Salt Spring Coffee, Canyon Coffee, and Mr. Espresso, to name a few – are shifting their sourcing to include Regenerative Organic Certified coffee.

Consumer awareness, however, is still limited. A 2022 study conducted by the International Food Information Council found that only 19% of respondents were familiar with the term “regenerative agriculture”, compared to 59% who understood the definition of organic farming.

Vague definitions pose challenges

Soil health is at the forefront of regenerative agriculture. Although coffee producers don’t till soil as often as other farmers in other agricultural sectors, soil depletion from monocropping, erosion due to aridity and fallowing, and pollution from synthetic inputs can occur on large-scale farms. Regenerative farming aims to rebuild soil that sequesters carbon, retains ample water, and fosters microbiological activity – helping to improve productivity and reduce dependence on synthetic farming inputs.

While its focus on soil regeneration is clear, it’s still difficult to define exactly what regenerative agriculture is. The term encompasses a wide range of agronomic practices, which likely adds to consumer confusion.

Although regenerative agriculture is more applicable to livestock farming and tilled crop production such as soy, corn, and wheat, the coffee industry has poised itself as a leader in the movement. Specialty coffee, in particular, is urging the global agricultural industry to agree on a solid definition for regenerative farming – especially whether social responsibility, animal welfare, and organic standards should be included.

Certifying bodies like Regenerative Organic Alliance, A Greener World, Bioagricert, and Regenified are working to develop more clearly defined standards, but grey areas still remain. Regenified, for example, permits farmers to use synthetic inputs but commit to a “replacement rate” over several years to encourage a more diverse range of farms to participate in the movement.

“How do you say we’re promoting soil health if you’re adding chemicals into it?” Jeff opines.

Regenerative Organic Alliance, meanwhile, follows USDA Organic guidelines, which state that crops must be grown in soil that had no prohibited substances applied for three years prior to harvest. 

A risk of greenwashing

No sustainability certification scheme works perfectly. But similar to the industry’s apprehension about initiatives like the EUDR, some believe regenerative certifications are well-intentioned but difficult to scale.

Moreover, farms that have implemented regenerative practices for generations have to pay to prove compliance, which some may not be able to afford. Certifying bodies may also include requirements that don’t apply to producers in all contexts and regions, which could exclude some producers who have been using regenerative farming practices for years.

These uncertainties make it challenging to accurately assess performance indicators, which puts the term at risk of greenwashing – thereby losing its meaning and value.

Jeff tells me that vague definitions and conflicting certification standards could add to consumer confusion about regenerative agriculture. Some could associate the term with organic farming, which abides by a strict set of standards – including the absence of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. 

The first-ever PRF: Farm Summit will take place on 17 and 18 October 2024 to dispel confusion and discuss some of the most pressing issues. Held entirely on a coffee farm, this year’s event will focus on how regenerative agriculture and organic coffee production can help producers lower production costs, adapt to climate change, and maximise crop yields. 

Farm Summit will also host the inaugural Soil of Excellence competition, which will assess soil samples from some of the world’s best producers, to highlight the importance of soil health.

When done right, regenerative agriculture benefits producers

Gabriel Agrelli Moreira is the manager of quality and market development at Daterra Coffee, a Brazilian farm that works in harmony with local ecosystems and wildlife. He tells me that despite its challenges, regenerative agriculture presents a way forward for the coffee industry to thrive.

“Sustainability is clearer as a concept, while regenerative agriculture is a broad term that is still being defined,” he says. “But we have used the word ‘sustainability’ for way too long now, and people are tired of it.”

Fundamentally, the purpose of regenerative agriculture is not just to increase yields but also to protect ecosystems so producers can continue growing coffee. On a truly regenerative farm, producers can reduce their dependency on external farming inputs and produce their own fertilisers, helping to reduce overall costs. 

Regenerative crop management requires more hands-on and skilled labour, which is becoming scarcer in some farming communities. “Increasing biodiversity on a farm also increases the complexity of your operation,” Gabriel says.

But over time, producers can increase climate resilience, mitigate unpredictable seasonal production, improve long-term soil health, and conserve water – all of which help improve productivity.

While on a sourcing trip in Colombia, Jeff – who will speak on a panel entitled Certifications and Controversies: Reviewing Regenerative vs Organic Practices at PRF: Farm Summit – saw that producers who invested in no-till strategies had eliminated soil runoff and erosion, which opened up new opportunities for income diversification, including pastures for livestock. 

“There could be downsides when initially transitioning to regenerative farming,” he adds. “But over time, higher yields and a lower cost of inputs reverse these effects, not to mention producers are doing the right thing for the sake of the planet.”

Why reg ag certifications will play a key role

Certifications are by no means mandatory to grow regenerative coffee. Many producers, whether certified or not, use regenerative farming practices that minimise their environmental impact and promote soil health.

Jorge, however, explains that certifications offer some form of formal monitoring and evaluation, which can open up new market opportunities for producers.

“Third-party independent verification is one of the few tools we have to ensure both integrity and consistency. Without a framework, environmental claims can become erratic, sowing confusion and eroding consumer trust,” he says. “It can be challenging when farmers don’t see the results of regenerative practice for months or even years. But what we have seen within our networks is early adopters help pave the way by demonstrating the benefits of soil health and agroforestry on coffee farms.”

Gabriel agrees, saying that while building trust between producers, traders, and roasters is important, certification offers a level of assurance.

“A thorough auditing process from a certification body is one of the only ways to evaluate farm operations in depth,” he concludes.

Regenerative agriculture and soil health are gaining traction in the coffee industry, but more needs to be done to understand and measure these practices. Certifications will inevitably play a large part in this.

Many agree that regenerative farming is the way forward for the coffee industry. Without financial investment to support producers’ transition towards these practices, however, the term quickly loses its meaning and value. 

Enjoyed this? Then read our article on why the first-ever PRF: Farm Summit will focus on regenerative agriculture and soil health.

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