Unlike organic, regenerative organic agriculture is not (yet) a protected term with a formal definition. Organisations such as IFOAM describe it as “a collection of practices that focus on regenerating soil health and the full farm ecosystem”. We believe that regenerative farming is built on organic practices. Regenerative farming goes beyond the organic certification by actively restoring and improving soil health. Think of cover crops, intercropping, low or no tillage, mulching and other forms of composting and agroforestry. Such practices are key to growing healthy and nutritious food ingredients for now and for future generations. On top of this, regenerative agriculture helps to sequester carbon from the air into our soils, which is crucial to combat climate change.

Since 2015, we have been building up the organic cocoa production in Sierra Leone. In recent years, the focus has been on an extensive agroforestry program we run together with the agronomists of Ecotop. Our cocoa sourcing area in Sierra Leone is close to the Gola Forest National Park and this unique protected area is home to a variety of endangered endemic species. By establishing a smart regenerative agroforestry system, the farmers can improve the yield of their cocoa plantations, which helps eliminate the incentive to clear forest for new plots. In addition, the agroforestry systems will introduce shade trees with economic benefits such as fruit- and timber trees, which promotes biodiversity while enabling the farmers to diversify their income and boost their food security. Moreover, a well-developed regenerative agroforestry system will boost carbon sequestration and help combat climate change. We are also exploring if these farmers could offer certified carbon credits. Stay tuned for that!

We are very proud that the project is Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC™) since 2021, as one of the first in the world. Our Technical Assistance Manager in Sierra Leone, Mustapha John Bull, features in a video series by the Regenerative Organic Alliance, explaining how to implement more regenerative organic practices.

We also welcome any interest in other crops, projects, and partners to help grow the ROC portfolio.

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Our avocado oil comes from Ethiopia. In our local factory, avocados from about 80.000 smallholder farmers, organized in cooperatives, are processed into oil. In various sourcing areas, we are implementing support projects to improve soil health, yield and quality of the produce. This includes setting up seedling nurseries (200,000 seedlings distributed), vermicomposting (300 farmers trained) for organic fertilization, and beekeeping (700 farmers trained and equipped), which is proving to have a great positive impact on yields. Our local team works closely together with GIZ and farmers are enthusiastically taking up the materials and training they offer. Another project is focused on planting new avocado trees where there is space, setting up a digital profile for these farmers and tracking the development of the new growth. That would allow them to get easy access to targeted agricultural guidance and open up possibilities for carbon credit generation.

We are also looking into ways farmers could be rewarded for carbon sequestration. There is a lot to learn about carbon credits, and at Tradin we are exploring if and how we could integrate them into our work. Our initial focus is on Carbon Removal Units, that are only issued after carbon capture and storage is actually measured and verified. Stay tuned for updates and in the meantime, watch our Sustainability Manager Anne Floor van Dalfsen explain further what carbon credits are.

Our organic citrus juice suppliers in South Africa are truly passionate about growing organic citrus in a regenerative way. Over the years, they have developed a system of regenerative practices to help build a healthy and productive soil. This ingenious system involves a closed cycle and lots of manure. The farmers grow lucerne (alfalfa) as a forage crop. Part of the lucerne is fed to the cows that live on the farm and these four-legged employees also get to feast on the left over citrus pulp and peels from the processing of the citrus juice. The cows are in charge of producing manure, a key ingredient for compost. The compost helps to add nutrients to the soil and restore the soil quality in a natural way. This closed-loop system helps to keep waste to a minimum and promotes soil health.