In Finland, farmers who have transitioned to regenerative agriculture are forming a regenerative professional partnership with nature in their decision-making, a new study from the University of Eastern Finland shows.
Published in Agriculture and Human Values, the study explored the framework of the professional partnership in decision-making between Finnish regenerative farmers and nature. The study involved 86 farmers participating in the Carbon Action Project.
Regenerative agriculture is grounded in maximising soil cover, photosynthesis and microbial activity, while minimising disturbance. This enables food production that revitalises ecosystems and comprehensively strengthens their resilience in a changing climate and operational environment. Regenerative agriculture takes a holistic approach to well-being, encompassing ecological, economic, social and spiritual dimensions. Previous studies have shown that regenerative agriculture is more about a farmer-led social movement and personal journey than about specific farming practices.
“Regenerative agriculture is, fundamentally speaking, a way of living and expressing oneself in the world, co-creating with nature. Each farmer’s farm is their own creation,” Doctoral Researcher and lead author Soja Sädeharju of the University of Eastern Finland says.
Partnership with nature sets a framework and stands at the core of regenerative decision-making
Professional decision-making by farmers is intertwined with their connection with nature. Farmers participating in the study reported a deep connection with nature that guided their professional decisions, while also acknowledging the need to utilise nature to earn a living. To resolve this conflict, farmers developed a regenerative professional partnership with nature, as conceptualised in the study. This framework includes, as components contributing to decision-making, the farmer’s connection and relationship with nature, the roles of both the farmer and nature within this relationship, and communication and interaction between them.
The study examined this farmer–nature partnership in decision-making not only at the level of individual farms but also from a planetary perspective, paying particular attention to its ethical dimension. The study highlights a relational approach between humans and the world that transcends humanity.
“In the heart of regenerative thinking and regenerative practices is acknowledging nature’s agency and including it in deliberation and decision-making. However, this kind of thinking remains unfamiliar in Western cultures, where nature is traditionally viewed as a resource that is devoid of reason, and the property of humans,” Sädeharju notes.
Empirical research into the professional partnership between humans and nature remains limited. The present study offers a new perspective on the internal dimensions of decision-making among farmers practising regenerative agriculture. The study also deepens our understanding of nature’s agency by verbalising the tacit interactions between humans and nature.
“This understanding enables the genuine inclusion of tacit partners such as nature and future generations, and the adoption of a multidimensional perspective in decision-making.”
The study was funded by the Maj and Tor Nessling Foundation and by the Research Council of Finland.