Soil Regeneration Summit: Farming for the Future

15-17 March 2022. Soil Regeneration Summit: Farming for the Future

15/03 What is Regenerative Agriculture?

Presenters shared various perspectives and definitions from pioneers in the field in this rapidly evolving movement and shared techniques and insights along with the challenges faced.

Panel Discussion 1: with Colin Andrews, John Kempf, Dr. Elaine Ingham, and Nicole Masters. Hosted by Dr. Adrienne Godschalx.
Panel Discussion 2: with Rick Clark, Darren Doherty, Chris Trump, and Adam Cobb, PhD. Hosted by Dr. Adrienne Godschalx.

Speakers

Colin Andrews, Chair of The Tiyeni Fund “Livelihood Problems for Malawi farmers.”
Rick Clark, Farmer, founder of Farm Green Consulting
Darren Doherty, CPAg (AIA), Farm Planner, founder of Regrarians Ltd. Regrarians Platform® the most comprehensive agroecological planning, development and management framework available today.
Dr. Elaine Ingham, Soil Biology Pioneer, Soil Food Web School Founder “What is Regenerative Ag: The Return of Life to the Soil.”
John Kempf, Farmer, founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture “Plant Health Creates Soil Health.”
Nicole Masters, Author, Agroecologist, founder of Integrity Soils “Next Big Ticket or the Next Big Shift?”
Chris Trump, Educator, Korean Natural Farmer “The success and struggle stories of real commercial farmers using Korean Natural Farming.”

Background:

Dr. Elaine Ingham and her colleagues discovered the Soil Food Web nearly 4 decades ago. She has been pioneering research on soil health ever since, working with farmers on 6 continents. To kick off the Soil Regen Summit 2021: Hope for the Future, Dr. Elaine Ingham explained how the Soil Food Web and Soil Biology works and how it is essential to soil health worldwide

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The Soil Food Web School’s mission is to empower individuals and organizations to regenerate the soils in their communities. The Soil Food Web Approach can dramatically accelerate soil regeneration projects by focusing on the soil biome. This can boost the productivity of farms, provide super-nutritious foods, protect and purify waterways, and reduce the effects of Climate Change. No background in farming or biology is required for our Foundation Courses. Classes are online & self-paced, and students are supported by highly-trained Soil Food Web School mentors. Over the last four decades, Dr. Elaine Ingham has advanced our knowledge of the Soil Food Web. An internationally-recognized leader in soil microbiology.

Dr. Ingham has collaborated with other scientists and with farmers around the world to further our understanding of how soil organisms work together and with plants. Dr. Ingham is an author of the USDA's Soil Biology Primer and a founder of the Soil Food Web School.

00:00 What is the Soil Food Web Intro

03:52 Background on Dr Elaine Ingham

04:30 The Soil Food Web

21:59 Organisms in the Soil Food Web

30:39 Benefits of Micro-Organisms

35:55 What is taught at the Soil Food Web School?

The principles of regenerative soil systems are shaped by our landscape, contexts and individual philosophies. Any practice can result in soil building or soil degradation, the outcomes are dependent on the hands and mindset of the people on the ground. How can we connect more deeply with our contexts to supercharge our soils?

16/03 Solutions Offered by Regenerative Practices.

In Day 2 of this year’s Soil Regen Summit the presenters talked about Solutions Offered by Regenerative Practices. Resilience to extreme weather events, protection of biodiversity, and improvements to human health: these are just a few of the potential solutions that Regenerative Practices can offer. Presenters on Day 2 shared their approaches and experiences.

Panel Discussion 1: Colin Andrews, Dr. Usman Ali Lawan, Ms. Nono Sekhoto, Minni Jain, and John D. Liu. Hosted by Adam Cobb, PhD.
Panel Discussion 2: Dr. David Montgomery, Anne Biklé, Dr. Dilafruz Williams, Chef Nephi Craig, and Courtney P. Brown. Hosted by Dr. Adrienne Godschalx.
The 2 discussion session were followed by Meet-n-Greet sessions where each panelist moved into a breakout room for a moderated Q&A with audience members.

Speakers

John D. Liu, Filmmaker, Ecologist, founder of Ecosystem Restoration Camps
Dr. David R. Montgomery, Author, Geologist, cofounder of Dig2Grow “Growing A Revolution and What Your Food Ate,” An author of award-winning popular-science books (Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations, The Hidden Half of Nature, and Growing a Revolution), he has been featured in documentary films, network and cable news, and on a wide variety of TV and radio programs.
Dr. Elaine Ingham, Soil Biology Pioneer, Soil Food Web School Founder “The Seven Benefits of the Soil Food Web.”
Dr. Usman Ali Lawan, founder of Farmer in Suit “Social Entrepreneurship: A panacea to building sustainable and profitable agribusiness ventures in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Anne Biklé, MLA, Author, Biologist, cofounder of Dig2Grow “Eating From the Hidden Half of Nature.”
Courtney P. Brown, Strategic Consultant and founder of AGSPOSURE “Making the Connection: African American Agriculture & Regenerative Solutions.”
Chef Nephi Craig, founder of the Native American Culinary Association, creator of Café Gozhóó “Psychology of Indigenous Food, Landscape and Eating,”
Minni Jain, Educator, Operations Director of The Flow Partnership “The Link between Water and Regeneration”
Ms. Nono Sekhoto, Commercial Farmer, Youth-in-Agriculture Advocate “Supporting Youth to Take Up Regenerative Agriculture.”
Dr. Dilafruz Williams, Author, Garden-based Educator “Living Soil as Poetic and Critical Text: Pedagogy Underground for Regenerative Hope,”
Colin Andrews, Chair of The Tiyeni Fund “Ending African Hunger.”

17/03 The Science Behind Regenerative Ag.

There were 8 speakers on Day 3. The speakers take a deep dive into the world of soil, plants, and biology with an array of topics and scientists.

Panel Discussion 1 Myco Mind Meld

Myco Mind Meld connected fungal thought leaders across the globe. Topics ranged from fungal cell biology and their specific morphology to the broader role of fungi underlying plant and community health.

Speakers:

Pre-recorded Panel Discussion 2, Meet the Microbial Predators:

A Deep Dive into Nematodes and Protists of the Soil.

Presentations:

Prof. Ted Turlings, Entomologist, Chemical Ecologist
“Trophic interactions in the rhizosphere: How plants actively recruit the enemies of their enemies.”
Prof. Edward Mitchell, Microbial Ecologist
“Soil protists – Who are they? What do they do? What can they tell us about the environment?”
Dr. Mary Cole, Plant Pathologist, Soil Microbiologist, founder Agpath P/L
“Pathogenic fungi – plant pathogens – problems of our making, not theirs!!”
Fungi all have a role and place in the diverse ecosystem that is Life on Earth. Fungi became pathogens’ because of our monoculture style of agriculture. Fungi have an imperative role in sequestering carbon in the soil, holding water in the soil, and building resilience in the face of climate threats to agriculture.
Dr. Elaine Ingham, Soil Biology Pioneer, Soil Food Web School Founder
“The Science of Returning Life to the Soil.”
Graham Lancaster, Managing Director and founder of SCU’s Environmental Analysis Lab
“Soil Chemistry, Nutrient Cycling and Soil Biology.”
Dr. Adrienne Godschalx, Soil Food Web School Mentor & Researcher -
“When is a pest not a pest? How soil food webs shape plant-insect interactions”
Dr. Adam B. Cobb, Soil Food Web School Content Development & Science Editor
“Allies in the Soil.”