Soil regeneration, the other side of the coin

PalmWhile the overall figures remain worrying, a handful of pioneering projects, spearheaded by farmers and ranchers, have set out to combat soil degradation. Bernat Randa owns a farm in Felanitx where cows graze freely, but not just any old way. He employs a comprehensive strategy that aims to combine the animals' actions with soil enrichment. "And to return the nutrients and water we've been stealing from it for years," he adds.

When animals graze, they deposit feces and urine, which provide essential nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This natural fertilizer increases the soil's organic matter and improves its water retention capacity. Furthermore, the slight soil compaction caused by hooves helps integrate these nutrients into the topsoil. "Before, there was an obsession with heavy and intensive tillage, and now we are gradually learning to combine strategies to promote soil enrichment," he states.

Furthermore, when grazing is managed with short, intensive rotations, erosion caused by wind and rain is reduced, as the soil remains partially covered and the roots of the remaining vegetation maintain soil structure. "We combine all of this, also taking into account what are now called key lines—small furrows we make perpendicular to the slope of the land—to prevent heavy rains from washing away the soil and nutrients," he explains.

In the Canary Islands, there are already more than twenty farms implementing comprehensive regenerative projects with the presence of animals, and the results "are satisfactory." "Until recently, the excessive extraction of the soil's richness was compensated for with chemical inputs; now we are beginning to see that with natural processes and a holistic approach, everyone wins," says Randa.