Jan 23, 2022
ep. 103 guest: Jonathan Lundgren
Ecdysis
Foundation founding Scientist/ Farmer
For ep. 103 we welcome Ecdysis Foundation founder, Jonathan Lundgren. What’s really needed to frame-out mainstream adoption of regenerative – “it’s good data,” explains Dr. Lundgren. Good and accurate data coming from bleeding-edge scientific studies, in fact. So, in January 2022, the Ecdysis Foundation launched their 1000 (Regen) farm initiative as the most ambitious agroecology experiment ever conducted. The belief is that it's the scientific analysis on oodles of rich data coming from all kinds of different farms in different regions, footprints and crop types that will ignite a regenerative movement from a slow-burn evolution – into a revolution.
On-farm Scientific Analysis to Fuel the Regenerative
Movement
The millions of data-points coming from the 1000 Regen farms will
be used to measure outcomes that are in accordance to best
regenerative food production principles. Using a simple
scoring matrix - they can already make some in-tune predictions for
the farm's success. Lundgren says “The 1000 farm study is to
establish a scientific spine that supports the transition to a
regenerative food system.”
ANGLE:
The planet needs a paradigm shift in our approach to food.
Nature has been shouldering the impact of externalities from
input-based and extractive models of food production. In the
contemporary world, that's just not going to cut it anymore. Demand
for differentiated value-based food products is skyrocketing, and
conventional commodities are melting under pressures and economic
strain.
GOLDEN NUGGETS:
Bumping-up against planetary boundaries is the pressure-point that
will change food. The solution begins with regenerative natural
resource management on our farms, and with land use. Dr.
Lundgren says that the straw that can stir the drink today is
modern science. In his call to action to others in the scientific
community, Lundgren sees an ecological enlightenment, "Scientists
must connect with the problem that they are trying to solve. That
means getting your hands dirty with agriculture."