Regenerative agriculture, as defined by EIT Food (2024), is a system of farming principles and practices that increases biodiversity, enriches soils, improves watersheds and enhances ecosystem services. Resulting in increased yields, increased resilience to extreme weather events and climate change, and higher health and vitality for the rural communities.

Regenerative agriculture works according to a whole ecosystem approach, meaning aiming to work with nature instead of against it. For farm management decisions, the whole farming ecosystem is considered. All the stakeholders that are affected are also taken into consideration and mutually beneficial relationships are established between them. The farm is a dynamic environment and continuous improvement, and growth is pursued to utilize the full potential of the farm, community and individuals.

The most important aspect of regenerative agriculture is soil health in a holistic agroecosystem. In the end, your soil is the most valuable asset of the farm. If you take care of your soil, it will take care of you. Minimizing soil disturbance by adopting conservation tillage and minimizing chemicals and biological activities are fundamental practices of regenerative agriculture. Large amounts of CO2 are released during plowing activities and at the same time the soil is exposed to erosion. 

Five principles that guide the approach, as outlined by Khangura et al. (2023), are as follows:

• minimise soil disturbance
• keep the soil covered year-round
• keep live plants and roots in the soil for as long as possible
• incorporate biodiversity
• integrate animals

EIT Food (2024). What is Regenerative agriculture. The European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), Budapest. https://www.eitfood.eu/projects/regenag-revolution/what-isregenerative-agriculture

Khangura, R., Ferris, D., Wagg, C., & Bowyer, J. (2023). Regenerative agriculture—A literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health. Sustainability, 15(3), 2338

Cover crops are cultivated plants grown during the off-season, typically replacing bare fallow periods, and are often plowed into the soil as green manure before the next main crop is sown. There are two main categories of cover crops: those consisting of legumes, which have the potential to increase soil nitrogen levels, and those comprising non-leguminous plants. Interest in the use of multi-species mixtures for cover cropping is also on the rise (Burgess et al., 2023).

Global meta-analyses have consistently shown that cover cropping, whether with legumes or non-leguminous plants, can substantially enhance soil carbon levels compared to leaving fields fallow, typically within a three-year timeframe (Abdalla et al., 2019; Morugán-Coronado et al., 2020; Jian et al., 2020). Additionally, cover cropping promotes similar or greater plant biodiversity compared to leaving fields fallow (Guzmán et al., 2019) and can lead to increases or alterations in fungal biomass (Drost et al., 2020; Murrell et al., 2019). It also has the potential to suppress weed growth (Osipitan et al., 2019), although some studies show no significant effect on arthropod and earthworm communities (Fiorini et al., 2022).

Apart from improving soil fertility, cover crops play a crucial role in carbon sequestration, and widespread adoption could potentially reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions by up to 10%, which is comparable to the impact of practices such as no-till farming (Kay and Quemada, 2017). However, significant increases in soil carbon may take several years to manifest (Poeplau and Don, 2018).

Crop rotation is a farming practice where different types of crops are grown sequentially on the same piece of land over a defined period. Planting different crops in succession results in yield benefits compared to continuous cropping, with the effect greatest if the crops come from different botanical families. Relative to continuous cereal cropping, the practice also results in higher biodiversity and soil carbon (Burgess et al., 2023). Crop rotation is providing nutritional benefits and break the pest–disease–weed cycle (Khangura et al., 2023). A meta-analysis of 122 studies on the effects of crop rotation on soil biological properties found that rotation significantly increased the soil microbial biomass C and N by 20.7 and 26.1%, respectively (McDaniel, et al., 2014).

Some research has found that diversified crop rotation improves plant resource use efficiency by increasing microbial functions (D’Acunto et al., 2018). To increase soil organic content and improve soil health, rotational grazing is preferred over continuous grazing (Khangura et al., 2023).

Burgess. P.J., Redhead, J., Girkin, N., Deeks, L., Harris, J.A., Staley, J. (2023). Evaluating agroecological farming practices. Report from the “Evaluating the productivity, environmental sustainability and wider impacts of agroecological compared to conventional farming systems” project SCF0321 for DEFRA. 20 February 2023. Cranfield University and UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology.

D’Acunto, L., Andrade, J.F., Poggio, S.L., Semmartin, M. (2018). Diversifying crop rotation increased metabolic soil diversity and activity of the microbial community. Agric. Ecosyst. Environ., 257, 159–164.

Khangura, R., Ferris, D., Wagg, C., Bowyer, J. (2023). Regenerative agriculture—A literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health. Sustainability 15(3), 2338.

Grazing is a method of feeding livestock, such as cattle, sheep, or goats, by allowing them to consume vegetation in a pasture or range area. It involves the controlled movement of animals through designated grazing areas to ensure they have access to sufficient forage while preventing overgrazing and ecosystem degradation.

Land-use change from arable land to grasslands increases carbon capture and storage as well as biodiversity. It is essential to distinguish between its effects on above-ground and soil biodiversity, which may or may not be correlated. The positive impacts of transitioning from arable land to grasslands often do not align with agricultural production, representing a significant trade-off (EASAC, 2022).

A strategy known as multi-paddock grazing has garnered increasing attention in recent years. It refers to rangeland management where the grazing unit has livestock on it for less than 10% of the time (Rhodes, 2017). It is also known as “holistic planned grazing” (Teague et al., 2016) and has been called a regenerative practice (Teague and Barnes, 2017). Like most grazing systems it minimises soil tillage and bare ground, but it also includes more complex rotations. It has also been termed “pulse grazing” and a “permaculture approach to rangeland management” (Rhodes, 2017). In terms of increasing soil carbon and retaining nitrogen stocks, adaptive multi-paddock grazing outperforms conventional grazing (Mosier et al., 2021).

The net effect of grazing on agroecosystems depends on various factors, including grazing intensity, animal type, habitat type, and characteristics of the grazing regime such as timing and duration (D'Ottavio et al., 2018; Bengtsson et al., 2019).

Bengtsson, J., Bullock, J.M., Egoh, B., Everson, C., Everson, T., O’Connor, T., O’Farrell, P.J., Smith, H.G., Lindborg, R. (2019). Grasslands — more important for ecosystem services than you might think. Ecosphere 10 (2), e02582.

Pollinators play a crucial role in agriculture by facilitating the process of pollination, which is essential for the reproduction of many flowering plants, including a significant portion of crop species.

The cultivation of pollinator-dependent crops has seen global expansion, heightening our reliance on insect pollination (Osterman et al., 2021). Recognizing the important role of pollinators in agriculture, it becomes imperative to conserve and safeguard pollinator populations and their habitats. Implementing measures such as maintaining diverse landscapes, reducing pesticide usage, providing nesting sites and forage resources, and promoting pollinator-friendly agricultural practices are crucial steps towards supporting pollinator health and ensuring their sustained contribution to agriculture.

There are not only wild pollinators, the society also manages pollinators. Global trends in the number and diversity of managed pollinator species have been studied by Osterman et al. (2021). While the Western honeybee (Apis mellifera) stands as one of the most closely monitored insects, the status of other managed pollinators remains less well documented. Osterman et al. (2021) identify 66 insect species either currently managed for crop pollination or considered to have potential for such management. To ensure sustainable and integrated pollination management in agricultural landscapes, it is imperative to carefully assess both the risks and benefits associated with both old and novel managed pollinator species.

Osterman, J., Aizen, M.A., Biesmeijer, J.C., Bosch, J., Howlett, B.G., Inouye, D.W., Jung, C., Martins, D.J., Medel, R., Pauw, A., Seymour, C.L., Paxton, R.J. (2021). Global trends in the number and diversity of managed pollinator species. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 322, 107653.

Minimum tillage and no-tillage is a farming practice that involves disturbing the soil as little as possible while still preparing it for planting crops. Unlike traditional tillage methods that deeply disturb the soil through plowing or cultivation, minimum tillage aims to maintain soil structure, reduce soil erosion, and preserve soil moisture by minimizing soil disturbance.

A global meta-analysis, utilizing data from 678 peer-reviewed publications, evaluated the impact of various crops and environmental variables on no-tillage yields relative to conventional tillage. The study highlighted regional variations, with yield reductions observed in tropical regions with maize-based systems, while arid regions with moisture limitations experienced yield improvements (Pittelkow et al., 2015).

Although it's established that no-tillage leads to surface-layer increases in soil organic carbon, this increment could be offset by declines in soil organic carbon between depths of 10 to 60 cm due to slower incorporation of crop residue into these soil layers under no-tillage. Consequently, it may take up to a decade to observe a net benefit of no-tillage compared to intensive tillage (Burgess et al., 2023).

Despite the benefits of no-tillage practices in boosting soil organic content, concerns persist regarding heightened N2O emissions (Khangura et al., 2023). Another major issue with no-tillage is the overuse of herbicides for weed control, which could cause environmental pollution and resistant weeds, and threatens human health. (Khangura et al., 2023).

While reduced tillage practices exhibit mixed effects on soil biodiversity and ecosystem services, further studies are warranted, given the variations observed not only across organism groups but also among soils, regions, and specific management practices (EASAC, 2022).

Polyculture refers to a farming or gardening practice where multiple species of plants are cultivated together in the same area, as opposed to monoculture, which involves growing just one type of crop. In polyculture, different plant species are strategically chosen and intermixed based on their complementary traits and interactions, such as nutrient uptake, growth habits, and pest resistance. Polyculture can take various forms, including intercropping, agroforestry, and mixed cropping, and is often employed in sustainable agriculture and permaculture systems. EASAC (2022) has identified several polyculture practices and assessed their contributions to carbon capture and increased biodiversity:

• Crop diversity in rotations (carbon capture and storage as well as increased biodiversity)
• Crop diversity — intercropping (carbon capture and storage and it might increase biodiversity)
• Crop diversity — in sown/relay cropping (carbon capture and storage and it might increase biodiversity)
• Native tree plantations on arable land (carbon capture and storage and it might increase biodiversity)
• Agroforestry (carbon capture and storage as well as increased biodiversity)
• Hedgerows, woody buffer strips, farmland trees (carbon capture and storage as well increased biodiversity)
• Field borders, etc. for beneficial insects, mainly pollinators and natural enemies to pests, (it might increase carbon capture and storage, and it will increase biodiversity)
• Flower strips, beneficial for pollinators (increased biodiversity)
• Natural and semi-natural habitats (increased biodiversity)

Well-designed polycultures can yield win–win outcomes between per-plant and potentially per-unit area primary crop yield and biocontrol.

EASAC (2022). Regenerative agriculture in Europe: A critical analysis of contributions to European Union Farm to Fork and Biodiversity Strategies. European Academies’ Science Advisory Council, Halle.

Semi-natural grazing refers to a form of livestock management that integrates livestock grazing with the maintenance or restoration of semi-natural grasslands or other ecosystems. Unlike intensive or continuous grazing systems commonly associated with modern agriculture, semi-natural grazing seeks to mimic the historical grazing patterns of wild herbivores in natural ecosystems.

Approximately 30% of agricultural land in the EU falls under High Nature Value (HNV) farming management (Keenleyside et al., 2014), yet CAP support for 'Management of landscape, pastures, and HNV' covers only 8% of the utilized agricultural area (Strohbah et al., 2015).

Farming systems in these HNV areas provide productive, environmental, and societal services, showcasing a multifunctional role that merits recognition from both society and policymakers. Spatial and temporal diversification of these habitats, ideally in a mosaic of land covers with diverse species composition and structure, enhances local biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services (Bullock et al., 2006). Semi-natural grasslands stand as some of Earth’s most species-rich ecosystems, exemplifying how enduring, low-intensity human activities may lead to an outstanding biodiversity (Wilson et al. 2012; Habel et al. 2013; Dengler et al. 2014). Alongside climatic, topographic, and edaphic conditions, management practices significantly influence plant species richness
in semi-natural grasslands. Traditional, extensive management methods, such as grazing or mowing, typically sustain high diversity, not only among plants (EASAC, 2022).

Bullock, J.M., Pywell, R.F., Walker, K.J. (2006). Long-term enhancement of agricultural production by restoration of biodiversity. Journal of Applied Ecology 44 (1), 6-12.

Dengler J., Janišová M., Török P., Wellstein C. (2014). Biodiversity of Palaearctic grasslands: a synthesis. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment 182, 1-14.

SATIVUM is one of ITACyL's key projects and consists of a free web app, a platform designed to provide data-driven insights, offering valuable tools to manage plots more effectively and increase agricultural productivity.

Key Features & Innovation

• Access to Soil, Climate, and Crop Data: SATIVUM integrates data from sensors, satellites, weather data from AEMET, and other databases (e.g., soil data) into an easy-to-use interface. This information is presented at a plot scale, enabling farmers to manage their crops efficiently and boost productivity.
• Decision-Making Tools: the platform provides tools based on scientific data, agronomic models, and legislation. Key features include crop monitoring via Sentinel-2 satellite images, a fertilization module, pest alert calendars, and tools for zoning plots to enable Variable Rate Application (VRA). It also includes a Farm Digital Notebook and soil information, helping farmers reduce costs, minimize emissions, and improve soil health.
• Interoperability: SATIVUM's data and models are open and accessible to third-party digital tools, promoting an open data reuse policy. The platform’s APIs are public, and its continuous modular development enables integration with SIEX, a set of interconnected databases and administrative registers containing agricultural holding information in Spain.

Accessibility

SATIVUM can be accessed from any device (desktop, tablet, or smartphone) with an internet browser. While internet access is required to obtain satellite images and NDVI data for crop monitoring, users can continue using the tool offline with data stored in the web browser. The platform’s frontend is built with Vue (JavaScript), which communicates with the backend via REST services in Java. Some modules are developed using Python or Flask. Data is stored in Oracle databases, and PostgreSQL is used for search functionality.

• Tech #1 – SATIVUM

The ODOS Insight solution for apple orchards, developed by Carbon Harvesters, is a sophisticated software platform that integrates data from various sources, including on-site sensors, satellite imagery, and manual inputs from farmers to monitor, mitigate, and report on carbon emissions and biodiversity impacts. It serves as a central hub for environmental data related to the orchard's operations.

Key Features & Innovation

• Environmental Impact Monitoring: The platform tracks carbon emissions from agricultural activities like machinery use, fertilizer application, and transportation and monitors biodiversity indicators like soil health, pollinator populations, and native plant species
• Mitigation Strategy Development: the platform algorithms suggest tailored mitigation strategies to optimize irrigation, reduce chemical use, and implement agroforestry
• Automated Reporting: it generates accurate, regulation- and standard-compliant reports to save time on sustainability reporting.
• Predictive Analytics: Forecasts future environmental impacts using historical and current data
• Integration with Existing Farm Management Systems: It provides a unified view of orchard operations by integrating with other farm management tools

Accessibility
The system is accessible via a digital interface, enabling farmers to monitor environmental impacts, add inputs and implement sustainability practices easily.

• ODOS Insight
• Link Farm stories interview

GrassGuard automates the operation of managing pastures for cattle grazing. It uses a flying drone to capture images of the pasture, creates a georeferenced map, detects ungrazed areas with weeds, and removes them with a land drone. The technology is semi-autonomous: the flying drone takes off, photographs the area, and returns automatically to the starting point.

Key Features & Innovation

• Aerial Imaging & Mapping: Flying drones capture RGB images of the pastures which are then processed into a geographically oriented orthophoto using Pix4D software
• Weed Detection & Mapping: AI algorithms analyze the orthophotos to identify ungrazed areas
• Semi-Autonomous Operations: The flying drone operates autonomously, and the land drone follows a route plan based on the georeferenced map to remove the weeds

Accessibility

GrassGuard technology is built to be easily accessible to farmers, even those with minimal experience. The use of low-cost RGB cameras for capturing aerial images ensures that the technology is also affordable.

• Tech #3 – GrassGuard
• Link Farm stories interview

Technology Solution & Field Application

The CERERE platform is an innovative Decision Support System (DSS) designed to enhance sustainable agriculture by addressing critical farming challenges, such as water scarcity, crop disease, and vegetation stress. 

Key Features & Innovation

• Weather data integration: CERERE leverages data from local weather stations, satellite imagery, and AI-driven analytics to deliver real-time insights directly to farmers, including temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind conditions
• Accurate irrigation management: It calculates evapotranspiration rates to understand crop water needs and provide targeted irrigation recommendations
• Disease monitoring module: It analyzes historical and forecasted weather data to predict conditions that may foster crop diseases, such as mycotoxins in corn and botrytis in strawberries
• Proactive crop protection: It identifies high-risk conditions and helps implement measures like adjusting irrigation or applying fungicides
• Water stress management: It uses satellite data to help conserve water while maintaining crop health, especially as water scarcity increases
• Remote vegetation health monitoring: It analyzes satellite images to detect early signs of plant stress across entire fields, reducing manual inspection and lowering costs

Accessibility

CERERE’s main interface includes a map view with key vegetative indexes like NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) to assess crop vigor, identify stress zones, and allocate resources more efficiently, and a dashboard that compiles and visualizes data for easy access.

• Tech #4 – CERERE
• Link Farm stories interview

Technology Solution & Field Application

The SwarmSense Beehive System consists of sensors and software, and it is used for monitoring various parameters of beehives, such as temperature, humidity, and sound wave data. The sensors are used to collect data on various parameters inside and out of the beehive, while the software processes and analyses this data to provide insights to beekeepers.

Key features & innovation

• Temperature and humidity monitoring: SwarmSense provides the temperature and humidity levels within the beehive
• Sound wave data: it analyses this data to detect the health status of the bees and identify any potential dangers, such as predator species invading the hive
• Real-time alerts and insights: through data-collection, it sends alerts and insights to beekeepers

Accessibility

SwarmSense is user-friendly and can be used autonomously by farmers.

• Tech #5 – SwarmSense
• Link Farm stories interview

Technology Solution & Field Application

FLOX Robotics provides a high-tech solution to manage human-wildlife conflicts in agriculture, using advanced AI and autonomous drones to protect crops from wildlife damage. Wildlife encroachment on farmlands leads to substantial crop loss, impacting farmers’ economic stability. At the core of Wildlife Herd are machine learning algorithms and AI combined with sensors, enabling precise detection and real-time species identification. Once animals are detected, the system applies species-specific acoustic signals to gently herd them away from fields, minimizing habituation and ensuring long-term effectiveness.

Key Features & Innovation

• AI and machine learning:  Wildlife Herd uses algorithms to enable precise detection and real-time species identification
• Acoustic signals: Species-specific signals gently herd animals away from crops, ensuring minimal habituation and long-term effectiveness
• Autonomous drones: Drones patrol designated areas autonomously, providing continuous protection with minimal intervention
• Docking stations: Future integrations are planned to support autonomous charging and data uploading, optimizing 24/7 operation

Accessibility

This sophisticated system is accessible to users through an intuitive web and mobile platform, providing real-time updates, wildlife activity analytics, and a customizable platform that allows farmers to monitor and manage the solution from anywhere.

• Tech #6 – Wildlife herd
• Link Farm stories interview

Technology Solution & Field Application

EcoWard is a technology developed to help small to medium livestock farms manage and monitor their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions more effectively. EcoWard consists of a methane NIR (Near Infrared) detector (often referred to as a “sniffer”) that is installed in the automatic milking system (AMS) feed bin, and a software platform for data interpretation and visualization. The hardware device measures methane concentration by detecting eructation peaks (which account for most methane emissions from digestion) and reports GHG emission rates (ppm/day).

The main goal is to provide small farmers with a practical and affordable way to monitor emissions accurately. 

Key Features & Innovation

• Methane NIR detector: Installed in the AMS feed bin, it measures methane concentration by detecting eructation peaks
• Software platform: Processes collected data and provides visualization and interpretation, combining it with life cycle analysis (LCA)
• Data input: Farmers provide information on livestock, feeding, and manure management practices, with the platform applying IPCC calculations to assess GHG balance
• Cooperative planning: EcoWard enables cooperatives to track sustainability across multiple farms, promoting strategies to reduce emissions

Accessibility

EcoWard addresses a major market gap as existing commercial GHG sensors cost ten times more and have annual fees of €10,000 per unit. With this more accessible technology, cooperatives take on the responsibility of training and data handling, reducing the burden on small farms, which often operate with minimal labour resources.

• Tech #7 – EcoWard
• Link Farm stories interview

Technology Solution & Field Application

The environmental DNA (eDNA) technology uses molecular biology methods to detect DNA molecules that organisms leave behind in the environment. These genetic traces can provide biodiversity data in a more cost-efficient way than traditional methods.

Biodiversity above and below ground has a direct effect on any farm. Monitoring biodiversity using traditional methods can be costly and is often time-sensitive (e.g., can only be done during flowering seasons) and requires expert knowledge. Furthermore, a large section of organisms in the soil are microscopic and part of the invisible biodiversity of a farm. 

We are applying the technology on farms practicing semi-natural grazing and are focusing on the development of analysis of vascular plants and the seed bank of the soil (dormant seeds receding in the soil). Soil health, represented by the composition of the microbial community, is also incorporated in the analysis.

Key Features & Innovation

• Environmental DNA (eDNA): this solution uses molecular biology methods to detect DNA molecules left behind by organisms, offering a more cost-effective and efficient way to monitor biodiversity.
• Microbial community composition: it includes analysis of vascular plants, the seed bank of the soil, and soil health.
• Bioinformatic analysis: Involves bioinformatic practices for handling and analyzing data.

Accessibility

The solution includes sampling equipment and methods that can be used by non-experts, molecular biology methods for handling DNA, and bioinformatic practices for analyzing data. 

• Tech #8 – Genetic Biodiversity Survey
• Link Farm stories interview

Technology Solution & Field Application

Chainspector is a customizable traceability platform for small and medium-sized farmers, enabling them to showcase the origin and quality of their products. As part of the GUARDIANS project, Chainspector focuses on three key objectives: adaptability across different products, empowering small farmers to highlight the unique story of their products, and delivering reliable environmental impact data directly to consumers.

Key Features & Innovation

• Customizable platform: the platform offers farmers a “white canva” to showcase product origin, quality, and sustainability practices
• Adaptability: It is tested across diverse products to allow continuous improvement based on real-world use.
• Direct-to-consumer sales: It aims to expand direct-to-consumer and online sales for small farms.
• Carbon footprint integration: It includes carbon footprint metrics, enabling consumers to access reliable environmental impact data.
• Blockchain technology: Data is securely saved on a blockchain and stored in a decentralized system.
• Secure transactions: It protects sensitive information by securely managing blockchain transactions.

Accessibility

Producers use a registration app to log traceability events while consumers access product histories via a consultation app by scanning a unique identifier. This consumer app displays trace data as linked cards with visuals, certifications, and impact data.

• Tech #9 – Chainspector
• Link Farm stories interview

The implementation of the innovative technologies depends on whether farmers know, are willing to use, and finally can use those technologies, and whether they can be optimized to each context.

From testbed to pilot farms

Once a prototype of a technology is released, a preliminary evaluation under controlled conditions (in a testbed) will help to adjust it to the final user needs and conditions and validate the technology at GUARDIANS’ Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5.

Any shortcomings highlighted during this testing phase will prompt an iterative development process of the digital tools until all technologies can be further moved to the pilot farms.

Preliminary tests:

Regarding the preliminary tests for technologies based on artificial intelligence or developments, the datasets obtained from prior scientific studies developed in the experimental farms can either improve new or existing models or even adjust existing ones to new contexts.

Technologies:

The innovative technologies in the GUARDIANS project can be categorized into two groups based on the outcomes: those requiring physical testing at the farm level and those relying on datasets from Regional Service for Agri-food Research and Development (SERIDA) located in Asturias (northwest Spain).

Testbed Farms:

Four experimental farms owned by SERIDA work as testbeds in the GUARDIANS project. They represent diverse European environmental and socioeconomic contexts, and key agricultural typologies (arable crops, woody crops, regenerative agriculture, and grazed grasslands for livestock). Each farm is tailored to specific agricultural practices and can be used to address diverse technological challenges.

• Testbeds for GUARDIANS