Despite a lot of exciting momentum behind regenerative agriculture, it remains necessary that that enthusiasm reaches farmers and leads to real outcomes. But how does that information get shared in a county like India with several million farmers? In this episode we are joined by Subhadra Gupta, the regional field sustainability lead for the Asia Pacific region based in India, and Gaynor Pais, the executive director for International Resources for Fairer Trade (IRFT). We talk about how the soil health conversation is only valuable if a farmer sees how it can fit into their own unique operation. This is a big enough challenge in a place like the United States with major established infrastructure and lines of communication, but imagine building farmer networks in a place like India that has several million smallholder farms that are spread throughout the entire country.

“ The kind of engagement and the kind of partnership and the kind of trust that we have been able to build, and we are still building with our farmers when it comes to enhancing soil as a primary and a very, very significant aspect of smart agriculture practices. I think we are very much on the right track. Every year we can see slowly, and I think this is a journey.” - Subhadra Gupta

Together Gupta and Gaynor discuss the very important topic of farmer outreach and engagement when it comes to sharing information about soil health practices. It's critical in conversations about the science and economics of these soil health practices, that we don’t forget the human component in adopting and implementing them.

This Week on Soil Sense:

• Meet Subhadra Gupta, the regional field sustainability lead for the Asia Pacific region based in India, and Gaynor Pais, the executive director for International Resources for Fairer Trade (IRFT)

• Discover the value and strategy in creating farmer engagement with new soil health practices in India

• Learn about the cultural challenges and the social impact soil health practices can have on the Indian agricultural producers

• Explore the collaboration between Syngenta and IRFT to provide training on regenerative practices and create more equitable supply chains

 For a long time, Europe has had very high standards for environmental sustainability and is really concerned about biodiversity. So how does a multi-generational family farm accommodate these interests while still running a profitable and sustainable farm business?

We're joined today by a farmer from Germany, Hans Heinrich. And Syngenta's Sebastian Funk to talk about cross-generational farming and trying new ideas across a large operation.

 ”We often try something and sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. That's normal. But this idea of rebuilding the soil, I guess that's the most important thing we can do for this generation and for the next generation. “ - Hans Heinrich

 Hans Heinrich Farms with his wife and his son in eastern Germany. He and his son are constantly dreaming up new ideas and approaches for the farm, and bringing in new equipment from across Europe to implement practices like strip till. They grow corn and potatoes as their main crops with some small grains in rotation on occasion as well.

Joining Hans Heinrich is Syngenta's sustainable farm manager for Germany, Sebastian Funk. He grew up on a family farm and is now based in Frankfurt. He works alongside dozens of farmers across the region on sustainable practices, biodiversity research and implementation of digital tools.

This Week on Soil Sense:

• Meet Hans Heinrich and Sebastian Funk and learn more about agricultural soils and systems in this region of Germany

• Discover the collaboration that takes place between farmers like Hans Heinrich and his family and partners like Syngenta

• Understand the importance of biodiversity research and what is being discovered about biodiversity on farms in Germany

• Explore some of the digital tools used in farming and soil health

The  Soil Sense podcast is for those that believe building healthier soils is not just a prescription, but rather a pursuit. On this show, we unpack the way farmers collaborate to build healthier soils and adapt systems to work on their farm for both sustainability and profitability.

Thank you to Syngenta for sponsoring this season of the Soil Sense podcast. If you are interested in what soil health looks like in practice and on the farm, please subscribe and follow this show on your favorite podcast app, and leave us a rating and review while you’re there!

In this episode of Soil Sense, co-hosts Tim Hammerich and Dr. Abbey Wick explore how Brazilian farmers, like Cézar, and Syngenta's Grazielle Parenti, are innovating soil health practices in tropical environments.

The discussion focuses on Brazil's potential to double agricultural production without deforestation through initiatives like the Reverte Project. Parenti talks about Syngenta's collaboration with farmers to restore degraded pasture lands into productive farmland. Cézar details his experiences and methods in advancing soil health on his expansive farm, emphasizing the critical role of technology and sustainable practices. Together, they highlight the synergistic efforts in Brazil to boost soil health, create economic benefits, and sustain agricultural productivity.

00:00 Introduction to Brazil's Agricultural Potential

01:20 Meet the Hosts and Guests

01:54 Cézar’s Farming Journey

03:30 Soil Health Practices in Brazil

06:02 Challenges and Innovations in Tropical Agriculture

16:00 The Reverte Project: Transforming Degraded Lands

23:13 Technology's Role in Soil Health

31:13 Future of Brazilian Agriculture

38:33 Conclusion and Takeaways