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For large-scale agricultural food production capable of feeding millions of people, the question of double-cropping under regenerative practices is a tricky one

For large-scale agricultural food production capable of feeding millions of people, the question of double-cropping under regenerative practices is a tricky one. Modern industrial agriculture relies heavily on two crops per year on the same land, which relies on generous fertilizer and water inputs. Regenerative practices would prefer giving up on the second crop in favor of various methods of biomass accumulation, composting, soil generation etc over that time period. Note one business opportunity for the regenerative sector could be organic healthy soil production. There's a demand for high-quality soil and this could make the second half of the year productive. This could go well with a mushroom production system integrated with composting.

analyte123 2y ago
Most agricultural land is not double-cropped, in the US less than 3% of farmland was double-cropped in 2015 [1]. You actually have it backwards: when possible, cover crops or double cash crops are a key regenerative practice because they prevent erosion and keep living roots in the ground which can enhance soil health in other ways [2]. [1] https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2014/june/double-cropping-by-u-s-farmers-varies-over-time-and-regionally https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2014/june/double-croppi... [2] https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/north-dakota/soil-health-principle-4-of-4-continual-live https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-b...
throw88888 2y ago
> Modern industrial agriculture relies heavily on two crops per year on the same land Depends on how you define modern industrial agricilture I guess. From https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_cropping https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_cropping “However, only 5% of global rainfed cropland is under multiple cropping, while 40% of global irrigated cropland is under multiple cropping.” Most farmland is rainfed. Only about ~20% is irrigated globally. That means less than ~10% of all farmland globally is double-cropped.

analyte123 2y ago

Most agricultural land is not double-cropped, in the US less than 3% of farmland was double-cropped in 2015 [1]. You actually have it backwards: when possible, cover crops or double cash crops are a key regenerative practice because they prevent erosion and keep living roots in the ground which can enhance soil health in other ways [2]. [1] https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2014/june/double-cropping-by-u-s-farmers-varies-over-time-and-regionally https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2014/june/double-croppi... [2] https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-by-state/north-dakota/soil-health-principle-4-of-4-continual-live https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/conservation-basics/conservation-b...

throw88888 2y ago

> Modern industrial agriculture relies heavily on two crops per year on the same land Depends on how you define modern industrial agricilture I guess. From https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_cropping https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_cropping “However, only 5% of global rainfed cropland is under multiple cropping, while 40% of global irrigated cropland is under multiple cropping.” Most farmland is rainfed. Only about ~20% is irrigated globally. That means less than ~10% of all farmland globally is double-cropped.