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Regenerative practice is starting to be a familiar term to many. Vocabulary and principles related to regenerative agriculture in particular are being developed at a fast pace. However, regeneration as a concept seems to be less known, and its cross-disciplinary, multidimensional and extensive nature may surprise you.
Sustainability vs. Regeneration: a new paradigm
Let’s start by defining the term “SUSTAINABLE”. Sustainable production focuses on preventing negative impacts. Its goal is to minimize harm and maintain balance in the system. On the other hand, regenerative activities focus on actively increasing positive impacts. If an activity strengthens the conditions for life without causing significant harm to other areas, it is considered regenerative.
Conventional production is now strongly associated with the industrial era, where the ecological and social impacts of activities are not actively considered, and their significance is essentially non-existent for the producer — with the primary goal being short-term economic gain. This also means that economic benefit is maximized regardless of how exhausting it is not only for the environment but also for the people working in production, such as the farmer.

Starting from the bottom left, the activity has a depleting effect on both the environment and people (negative impact). In the middle of the graph, the situation is stable and sustainable. As you move upward and to the right, the impact becomes increasingly strengthening and regenerative (positive effect). We can plan and assess any action we take by visualizing its regenerative or depleting effects. Sustainable well-being is achieved in the green zone. If the situation is consistently depleting (orange area), changes and new solutions must be sought after. Source: Regenerative Design — SPHERA (spherasostenible.com)
A broader ecosystem: Collaboration and well-being across the value chain
It can be easily said that very few, if any, Finnish farms are truly conventional in the traditional sense. When our actions create a positive impact to our environment, it does feel rewarding. Conversely, when the fields and nature around us visibly suffer, it can be devastating. At best, a vibrant, diverse, and thriving farm landscape can deeply resonate with the soul.
At least most of us work, by human nature, to promote the well-being of our environment and community, aiming to pass on the experience of a healthy ecosystem to future generations. Being regenerative is not about certifications or affiliations. It’s about how we evaluate the impact of our activities and the direction we choose to take. Our identity in agriculture should be defined by our actions and mindset, rather than labels or categorization.
However, the well-being of the environment alone is not sufficient for long-term sustainability. Our ecosystem is more than just our immediate surroundings. Over the decades, the world has grown more complex, with increasing expectations, demands, risks, and crises. A constantly draining environment diminishes our capacity to function and cope. This automatically increases negative impacts on our health, social relationships, and further on the environment.
For this reason, collaboration that enhances well-being and vitality, and goal-oriented action and development, are essential. We all need to move towards regeneration—whether in agriculture or in life—and move towards practices that benefit the entire ecosystem in which human beings are the key species.
From the environment to people
We currently see regenerative farming focusing in most parts on carbon sequestration with regeneration limited only to consider farmer’s activity. Therefore, we should shift the conversation toward a more holistic concept of regeneration that aims to enhance well-being and vitality throughout the entire value chain, enabling continuous improvement for environment and people.
We know that negative effects can multiply and spread unpredictably from a single source. The same is true for positive effects. One single sincere regenerative action can create multiple emergent positive impacts across the entire value chain. And that is what it truly means to act in the full sense of the word “regeneration”.
In summary, regenerative agriculture is about more than just farming—it’s about fostering well-being across the entire value chain. From the environment to people, each action we take should strengthen the ecosystem, not deplete it. By embracing innovative, regenerative practices, we can ensure a healthier, more vibrant future for both farming and the world at large.
Source: Sumberg, J. and Giller, K. (2022) ‘What is ‘Conventional’ Agriculture?’, Global Food Security, Volume 32, 2022, 100617, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2022.100617