REGENESIS

An energetic activist asks difficult questions about food production and finds some interesting answers.

Monbiot, a Guardian columnist and founder of Rewilding Britain, covers many topics, but one of his primary subjects is soil. His interest started in his own backyard when he wondered why some plants failed while others thrived. This led him to study what was happening under the surface, where he found a teeming tangle of bacteria, subterranean plants, and tiny creatures. It’s a jungle down there, although the various armies usually find a balance. The problem is that the equilibrium has been upset by modern farming practices, which drain nutrients from the soil and eventually reduce yields and variety. While Monbiot has plenty of harsh words for industrial-level agribusiness, he is equally skeptical of organic farming and its militant advocates. This type of agriculture is impossible to operate on a large scale, he notes, and often generates its own environmental costs. Neither does the author have time for activists who want to make food more expensive, arguing that it will make people eat less. Such an approach might be acceptable for wealthy people but would be very hard on those who are already struggling. “Just as it’s impossible to feed the world on pasture-fed meat, it’s impossible to feed the world on low-yield agroecology,” Monbiot argues. “In every farming system, we should seek two properties: high yields and low impacts.” Within this framework, he sees a range of paths forward, and he chronicles the work of several farms that are making progress at revitalizing soils while improving yields. There is also promise in new types of crops, including perennial species. Monbiot is also interested in creating food in labs using precise fermentation methods. This method is in use, but there is untapped potential in the area. These are interesting possibilities, and Monbiot is willing to follow the research to useful solutions.

A fascinating, informative, eccentric look at the future of farming and food.