Scaling up climate-smart regenerative agriculture for the restoration of degraded agroecosystems in developing countries

Climate change and anthropogenic forces have increased the soil and water vulnerability of arid and semi-arid developing countries. Particular interventions are required to mitigate the soil, water, and food insecurity crises, and enhance the resilience of farming systems to climatic and anthropogenic stressors. This research contributes to the development of such systems by identifying the most efficient interventions for the restoration of soil and water resources and investigating the principal drivers of resilient farming. Given the complexity of the farm eco-systems, the challenges and problems of agricultural development in a vulnerable community (Kerman Province, Iran) were assessed. Using qualitative research, 37 barriers were identified. Also, AHP analysis identified climate -smart regenerative agriculture (CSRA) as a plausible and prominent solution for restoring degraded agroecosystems. However, CSRA development is in the incipient stage in developing countries, and its adoption rate is low. Interpretive structural modeling and MICMAC analysis indicated that political, strategic, economic, in-stitutional, structural, technological, ecological, social, cultural, and psychological changes are required to give the CSRA a chance at prosperity. Demand-driven and interactive research, regime transformation, mobilization of re-sources, market development, and multilateral coordination are keys to successful scaling up CSRA in soil and water vulnerable areas.(c) 2023 Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Climate change and human activities have increased the vulnerability of soil and water resources in arid and semi-arid developing countries. Specific interventions are needed to address the crises of soil, water, and food insecurity, and enhance the resilience of farming systems. This research contributes to such efforts by identifying efficient interventions for restoring soil and water resources and investigating the drivers of resilient farming. The findings highlight the need for various changes and strategies to promote the adoption of climate-smart regenerative agriculture in vulnerable areas.