Training Future Agriculturalists

At this point in time, regenerative agriculture enjoys a strong foundation of government funding, right-minded organizational support, and emerging markets. The time for deep learning is here.

The levers for change from industrial into regenerative agriculture adoption are all internal. People have different reasons for initiating changes, none of which come from being convinced by an external party that it’s a good idea to stop killing off the living contributors to a farm’s natural ecosystem.

Herein lies a basic difference between agronomy and agroecology. Agronomy uses chemically-formulated products to kill plants and biology whereas agroecology uses plants and biology to feed new life into fields and their surrounding environments.

For most agriculture industry leaders today, agroecology is a new discipline. Agronomy was the philosophy behind the plant and soil science they were taught in university.

Meanwhile, the young farmers and entrepreneurs leading the regenerative movement today are trained in agroecology. Backed by equally-sound science and ample academic programming now, agroecology represents a stronger pull for today’s youth interested in careers in agriculture.

So, with the agriculture industry’s traditionally-minded leaders stuck in old-school thinking, and the bright new entrants chasing an opposing paradigm, how can everyone come together to forge partnerships and pathways forward?