Regenerative Agriculture

There is an emerging trend towards adoption of regenerative agriculture which is perceived to be more sustainable than conventional agricultural production. This paper introduces the concept, definition and principles of regenerative agriculture and its relevance to the oil palm industry. While there is apparent overlapping of best management practices (BMPs) for sustainable agriculture and regenerative agriculture, the regenerative agriculture philosophy has a stronger focus and emphasis on soil health, the soil-water nexus, biodiversity and integration with livestock. Sustainable agriculture and regenerative agriculture should be regarded as complementary systems and they should not be mutually exclusive. Building on the progress made in sustainable production of palm oil through the various certification systems, growers and supply chain actors should consider opportunities for improvements by adopting regenerative agriculture practices. Keywords: Regenerative agriculture, sustainable agriculture, BMPs, soil health, regenagri.