Brazil adopts regenerative agriculture, boosting soil health and soybean yields

Regenerative agriculture is moving from a niche concept to practical application on Brazilian farms. Producers of degraded lands report early improvements in water retention, reduced need for inputs, and steadier yields even during climate stress, thanks to practices such as continuous cover, diversified rotations and reduced tillage.

Research by the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPAM) shows that the presence of native forest at the landscape scale—30 km radius in the Amazon and 55 km in the Cerrado—significantly raises soybean productivity. The effect intensifies during El Niño‑driven droughts, helping farms avoid losses. The studies suggest that a landscape‑wide regenerative approach, integrated with Brazil’s native‑vegetation protection law, could enhance both climate adaptation and agricultural output.