As Earth moves closer to its tipping point on the brink of environmental disasters, our society faces the most challenging questions of its time. How do we meet the needs of 8.1 billion people while simultaneously regenerating ecosystems? The challenge is underscored by the existence of 5 billion hectares of man-made deserts, and conventional agriculture’s leading role in ecological damage through deforestation, pollution, excessive water usage, and desertification.
1. Deforestation – Agricultural expansion drives 90% of global deforestation.¹
2. Pollution – Air, water and soil. Agriculture contributes 30% of greenhouse gas emissions.² 78% of global ocean and freshwater pollution.³
3. Water – 70% of global freshwater withdrawals are used for agriculture.³
4. Desertification – 5.8 billion hectares of man-made desert.⁴ Half of the world’s current habitable land is used for agriculture.³

A blueprint to return to the Garden of Eden is about providing an answer to that question by redesigning our role in the ecosystem. The agroecological model created by Ernst Gotsch shifts our Darwinian evolutionary mindset of survival and competition to that of love and cooperation. Ernst demonstrates this is nature’s formula to achieve abundance, and our most valuable input is knowledge. As humans, we have the honour to steward land back into its highest form of succession by rediscovering our role as keystone species and align ourselves with the macro-organism of Gaia.

Ernst Gotsch and I presented in the webinar, Symbiotic Impact of Agroecology and the Soil Food Web, why Ernst’s agroecological strategy holds a solution to the current environmental problems we face today, while meeting the needs of the present. Ernst began by explaining the principles and practices he has developed during his 40 years of land management. His farm produces 20,000 kg dry organic matter per hectare, 5-fold more than that of the most vigorous forest in his region. Ernst discusses the dynamics of natural species succession, selective weeding, specific management practices, production, pest and disease issues, ecosystem benefits and other projects he has worked on around the world, including a soy and cotton plantation where his management increased yields by 130%.

In the webinar, I next discussed the Soil Food Web research, which was conducted at Ernst’s farm. SFW biological analyses were carried out comparing the soil microbiology present at 4 different locations:

1. Ernst Gotsch’s cocoa farm with 40 years of agroecological management 
2. Conventional cocoa farm with over 40 years of management
3. 70-year native forest of natural regeneration 
4. The original landscape which replicated the conditions of the Ernst farm 40 years ago. 

My research demonstrates that the predominant differentiator between these systems is the soil microbiology. The research underscores the pivotal role played by Ernst’s agroecological model in nurturing a thriving and robust soil food web to foster a higher ecological succession.

As we begin to elevate our awareness of the pivotal role played by soil microorganisms, our agricultural and land management strategies necessitate an environment that fosters their growth. Only by doing so can we hope to attain agriculture methods that are not only productive and nutritious but also resilient. The research shows the benefits behind the adoption of Ernst’s agroecological farming model as a productive and regenerative agricultural management strategy that can be used as a blueprint to return to the Garden of Eden.

References:
[1] https://www.fao.org/newsroom/detail/cop26-agricultural-expansion-drives-almost-90-percent-of-global-deforestation/en
[2] FAO https://www.iaea.org/topics/greenhouse-gas-reduction
[3] https://ourworldindata.org/environmental-impacts-of-food