“Most of the regenerative farms are still surrounded by conventional farms. Nevertheless, the food from the regenerative farm will be more nutritious and more healthy than the food from the conventional farms just 20 meters over the fence.” —Philippe Birker
This week, we are joined by Philippe Birker. Philippe’s passion for regenerative agriculture's potential to address climate change and related challenges led him to co-found Climate Farmers, where he and his team assist farmers in adopting more sustainable methods.
Hit play and join this insightful conversation as Justine and Philippe provide an understanding of solutions to climate change through sustainable food production. They also discuss the principles and benefits of regenerative agriculture, how regenerative practices help build healthy soil and increase biodiversity and drought resilience, the challenges of transitioning to regenerative agriculture, why regenerative farmers are the unsung heroes of the food system, and why a systemic change is necessary.
Meet Philippe:
Philippe Birker is the Co-Founder of Climate Farmers, an organization working to transition Europe's food system to regenerative agriculture. Based in Portugal, Philippe bought an abandoned village in 2017 and has been rebuilding it while learning about regenerative farming practices. Prior to founding Climate Farmers, he worked for several tech startups. Through visiting regenerative farms across Europe, Philippe became passionate about the ability of regenerative agriculture to tackle climate change and other issues, leading him to support farmers transitioning to more sustainable methods.
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Episode Highlights:
03:00 Regenerative Agriculture and Its Benefits
07:05 The Lack of Support from the Current Agricultural System
11:14 A Need for Systemic Change
18:31 Regenerative Agriculture and Its Impact on Health and Climate Change
22:27 Regenerative Agriculture vs Conventional Farms