One of the major challenges in agriculture today is the conventional mindset that pushes farmers to rely on chemical inputs and ‘improved’ seeds, often containing a terminator gene. This outdated approach undermines resilience and regeneration, leaving farmers vulnerable and the environment depleted. This is what excites me about Enviu—they elevate knowledge as the most crucial input. Much of my work with the Enviu team has involved training to augment the knowledge and understanding of farmers. This includes assessing a farm site based on its unique context-specific issues, identifying available resources, developing local organic inputs, and
designing the farm for stability with perennial plants, not just annuals.
Traditionally, most businesses rely on chemical-driven supply chains, which undermine the system’s capacity to be regenerative. What I appreciate is a business approach that it is focused on promoting what I call a ‘cyclical economy’. This approach involves growing and creating inputs locally, often from organic waste streams. Another important aspect of regenerative agriculture is biodiversity. Many businesses focus on a single value chain, but our work looks beyond that. A regenerative system requires biodiversity, and farmers need support to market and add value to diverse products. Additionally, waste should be returned to the farm to ensure nutrient cycling.
We must move away from the notion that profits are separate from ecological and community health. High profits shouldn’t justify extracting resources from the environment or community. Instead, we should build business models that enhance the regenerative capacity of people, their communities, and the landscapes that sustain them.
Warren Brush is the founder of Resilience Design Consultant. The Resilience Design method for smallholder farmers, developed by Warren Brush, has formed the basis of the regenerative transition model in FoodFlow.
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