Tag: regenerative agriculture

Book Review: Kiss the Ground by Josh Tickell

July 6, 2026   By Jim Phillips

Published in 2017, Kiss the Ground: How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body & Ultimately Save Our World, presents a compelling case for transforming modern agriculture by focusing on building healthy, productive soils through regenerative practices such as no-till farming, elimination of synthetic chemicals, poly-cropping, and holistic pasture management. Writing largely about experiences in the United States, the author, Josh Tickell, argues that shifting away from the industrial monoculture model toward diversified, no-till production systems that integrate grazing livestock can reduce pest problems, sequester carbon, improve the soil’s water-holding capacity, mitigate hunger and food insecurity, and decrease dependence on heavy machinery, fossil fuels, and chemical inputs.

The author interviews several pioneers of the regenerative agriculture movement who have successfully implemented these practices on their own farms and are experiencing significant economic and environmental benefits. He also speaks with scientists who discuss the rapid increase in atmospheric CO₂ and the acidification of the oceans, which threatens phytoplankton, the organisms responsible for producing more than half of the Earth’s oxygen. Tickell argues that replacing industrial monoculture with regenerative agricultural practices that rebuild soil can help reverse the accumulation of atmospheric carbon.

The book describes how modern agricultural practices and land development have degraded the world’s soils. Topsoil is lost each year because fields are often left without protective plant cover. The natural water cycle is disrupted when rain falls on compacted soils or impervious surfaces, causing runoff rather than infiltration. When land is left bare, it loses the evaporative cooling provided by plant transpiration, contributing to higher surface temperatures and eventually desertification Tickell notes that more than 23 percent of the Earth’s land surface has been degraded by desertification.

The author highlights the work of the Rodale Institute, which has promoted organic agriculture for more than sevendecades. According to the Institute’s research, organic farming can produce yields comparable to, or in some cases greater than, conventional agriculture while requiring lower overall input costs. Although labor costs may be higher, Tickell argues that this is largely because today’s agricultural infrastructure has been built to support industrial monoculture, with its dependence on chemicals, specialized machinery, and fossil fuels. With its rigorous certification standards and price premiums, USDA Certified Organic represents one of the important building blocks of regenerative agriculture.

Drawing on interviews with successful regenerative farmers, Tickell concludes that practices such as holistic grazing, no-till farming, diverse crop rotations, composting, and the application of manure can create healthy soils rich in microorganisms. These biologically active soils sequester carbon, retain more water, reduce erosion, and produce abundant harvests year after year.

Among the experts interviewed is Andre Leu, Director of Regeneration International and author of Growing Life: Regenerating Farming and Ranching.  Tickell also profiles several influential practitioners whose experiences illustrate the principles of regenerative farming.

Ray Archuleta, a conservation agronomist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), has long advocated for no-till agriculture. Through demonstrations and lectures, he illustrates how no-till practices improve soil structure, increase water infiltration and moisture retention, and reduce the oxidation of soil organic matter. One of his central messages is that intensive tillage with disk plows destroys the natural aggregates that give soil its structure. This disruption damages soil biology, increases erosion, reduces the soil’s capacity to retain water, and ultimately contributes to the degradation and desertification of farmland.

The Markegard family operates a ranch in northern California using rotational grazing and holistic rangeland management rather than concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), where livestock are confined and manure accumulates in unhealthy conditions. Research cited from the Rodale Institute suggests that well-managed grazing systems can increase soil carbon, reduce erosion, and improve overall soil health. As livestock move across the landscape, they disturb the soil with their hooves, graze vegetation, deposit manure and urine, and distribute seeds before being moved to fresh pasture. These processes help stimulate plant growth and improve soil fertility.

One of the book’s most compelling examples is Gabe Brown, a North Dakota farmer widely regarded as a pioneer of regenerative agriculture and author of Dirt to Soil: One Family’s Journey into Regenerative Agriculture. Brown views his farm as a living ecosystem rather than simply a production system.

He compares soils from several different farming systems. One sample comes from a conventional farm that relies on synthetic chemicals and little crop diversity. Another comes from a farm that has practiced no-till for many years but still depends heavily on chemical inputs. In both cases, the soils are dense, compacted, and lacking healthy structure. Brown also examines soil from an organic farm that still relies on tillage. Although free of synthetic chemicals, the tilled soil crumbles into a fine powder and has limited ability to retain moisture.

Brown then contrasts these samples with soil from a four-acre section of his own farm where he grows squash, melons, peas, beans, and sweet corn. His soil is dark, rich in organic matter, filled with earthworms and mycorrhizal fungi, and remains moist despite the absence of recent rainfall. It forms stable aggregates that hold together rather than falling apart, allowing the soil to retain large amounts of water while storing significant quantities of carbon.

After harvest, Brown allows livestock to graze the remaining crop residue, naturally fertilizing the field with manure. Chickens are then brought in to spread the manure, consume insects, and contribute additional nutrients before the next crop cycle begins. This integrated system illustrates the regenerative principle of using livestock to restore soil health while reducing dependence on synthetic fertilizers and external inputs.

Overall, Kiss the Ground presents a persuasive and optimistic vision for the future of agriculture. While some of the book’s claims about the potential of regenerative agriculture to reverse climate change remain subjects of scientific debate, its central message—that healthy soils are fundamental to productive agriculture, environmental sustainability, and resilient ecosystems—is well supported. The book makes a strong case that rebuilding soil health through regenerative practices can improve farm profitability, enhance food production, conserve water, increase biodiversity, and leave the land in better condition for future generations.

Jim Phillips is on the Board of the World Hunger Education Service

Regenerative Agriculture to Mitigate Hunger: Thurow’s Latest Book

Book Review:    Roger Thurow’s Against the Grain:  How Farmers Around the Globe are Transforming Agriculture to Nourish the World and Heal the Planet (2024, Publisher:  Agate Surrey)

American journalist, Roger Thurow, has written consistently about global hunger and food issues for many years.  In his latest globe-spanning book he highlights the work of farmers who are “going against the grain” by adopting regenerative agriculture practices.  These methods prioritize soil health, biodiversity, and natural processes, leading to more resilient and productive farms. Thurow introduces readers to farmers in diverse regions, from the American Midwest to Africa and India, who are successfully implementing these practices and achieving remarkable results.

Thurow visits a dozen countries in different continents telling the story of local responses to the upward pressures of world population growth and the strains on global food chains.  He highlights the UN World Food Programme, the NGO World Vision, the International Livestock Research Institute, and others.

Against the Grain’s central theme revolves around the idea that industrial agriculture, with its reliance on monoculture, chemical inputs, and intensive farming methods, has come at a significant cost to both the environment and human health.  Thurow argues that this common approach is unsustainable and undermines the long-term viability of food production.

One of the book’s strengths is its ability to explain the connections between individual farming practices and global concerns such as climate change, food security, and public health. Thurow demonstrates how sustainable agriculture can play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon in the soil and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He emphasizes the importance of diverse, nutrient-rich diets in combating malnutrition and promoting public health.  He interviews dozens of farmers, some of whom farmers incurred risks to change their  long-term practices to work with nature and terrace their land to catch more rainwater and prevent soil runoff; to plant a diverse range of vegetables that would balance the nutrients in the soil; to replaced commercial fertilizers with organic matter from their own farms;  to plant more trees and drought-resistant grains; and then shared their success with neighbors and communities.

Regenerative agriculture is a holistic approach focused on restoring and enhancing the health and biodiversity of agricultural ecosystems. Its primary goals include regenerating soil, increasing carbon sequestration, improving water retention, and promoting biodiversity. Key practices include crop rotation, agroforestry, composting, reduced tillage, cover cropping, and integrating livestock in ways that mirror natural ecosystems.

Unlike conventional farming, which aims for sustainability, regenerative agriculture goes a step further by actively enhancing the land’s health rather than simply preserving its current state. The overarching aim is to create systems that are ecologically resilient, economically viable, and socially beneficial.

Throughout the book, Thurow shares examples from diverse ecosystems across the globe where regenerative agriculture has successfully rejuvenated soil and improved farm productivity. However, the book does not delve deeply into economic profitability or provide technical analyses of how specific practices restore farmland. Instead, Thurow provides accessible, layman-friendly descriptions using personal stories and real-life examples.

Here are some of the practices highlighted across different regions:

Location   Practices
Ethiopia Rift Valley   Water catchment, terraces, intercropping, tree planting
Uganda   Tree planting, intercropping, livestock integration, amaranth, mucuna beans, crop rotation
Kenya   Dairy management with perennial forage (Brachiaria grass), transforming garbage dumps with greenhouses, chickens, and rabbits
Indo-Gangetic Plain   Crop diversity, drip irrigation, cold chain management, composting
Pan American Highlands   Preservation of genetic diversity, crop diversity, drip irrigation, composting with crop residue
US Great Plains   Zero tillage, composting with manure, planting Kernza (a perennial forage and grain crop)

 

Across all of these examples, composting, crop rotation, and intercropping are central practices used to maximize production while simultaneously restoring soil health. Thurow emphasizes that for many smallholder farmers, “livestock are the ATMs of smallholder farmers,” representing their wealth storage. One farmer from the Great Plains shared his positive experience with Kernza, a perennial crop that provides both grain and livestock forage: “Once planted, perennials keep growing year after year, yielding multiple harvests.”

Thurow spends time with farmers in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley who are implementing practices like terracing and agroforestry to restore degraded land and improve their livelihoods.  He highlights the ongoing work of aid organizations like the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in promoting sustainable agriculture and empowering local communities.

In Uganda, he visits farmers who are diversifying their crops, integrating livestock, and using cover crops to improve soil health and increase resilience to drought.

He explores efforts to combat land degradation and improve food security in Ethiopia, where farmers are adopting techniques like intercropping and water harvesting to enhance productivity in the face of challenging environmental conditions.  He travels to India’s Indo-Gangetic Plain, where he meets Indian farmers who are revitalizing their soil and increasing yields through practices like no-till farming and crop rotation. He also examines the challenges faced by Indian farmers, including water scarcity and climate change.

When visiting Guatemala’s Highlands, Thurow describes the efforts of smallholder farmers to preserve traditional maize varieties and promote sustainable farming practices in the face of pressures from industrial agriculture.

Against the Grain offers a valuable contribution to the conversation about the future of food and farming. It provides a hopeful vision of a more sustainable and equitable food system, while also acknowledging the challenges that lie ahead. Thurow’s engaging writing style and his passion for the subject matter make “Against the Grain” an informative and thought-provoking read for anyone interested in the intersection of food, agriculture, and the environment.

Note:  Some NGOs specialize in promoting this type of agriculture, including Trees for the Future. Thurow serves on the advisory committee for Action Against Hunger, US.

A related book review about Regenerative Agriculture is available at another non-profit’s (Well Being International’s) site:  https://wellbeingintl.org/resources/newsletter-archive/wellbeingnews/wellbeing-news-vol-6-11/  .

*Reviewed by WHES Board