Financing the Transition to Regenerative Agriculture: The Farmer Perspective
Background:
Agriculture is at a critical crossroads, facing numerous challenges such as climate change, farmland financialization, soil degradation, eutrophication, and greenhouse gas emissions. Regenerative agriculture (RA) offers a promising way forward by restoring and improving essential resources like soil, water, and biodiversity. As traditional farming practices are becoming increasingly unsustainable, there is an urgent need for RA. However, a gap remains in the financial sector’s support for farmers, particularly regarding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) returns.
Event Overview:
This focus group aims to bring together key stakeholders in agricultural production, including farmers, representatives from producer organizations, and consultants who work closely with producers. The session will start with a project overview, outlining the expected outputs and outcomes. Participants will then engage in small group discussions (maximum of seven participants per group) to share their insights on specific topics. The key takeaways will be compiled by facilitators and shared in a plenary session.
Objectives:
This event seeks to better understand the financial needs and challenges farmers face as they transition to regenerative agriculture. Specific goals include:
Identifying the financial sector’s role in supporting farmers during the transition to RA.
Understanding the challenges farmers encounter when interacting with the financial sector.
Exploring the diversity of these issues among various stakeholders and farming operations.
Findings from the focus group discussions will be analyzed with data from subsequent focus groups with the financial sector and policy makers. Participants will be invited to take part in a round table discussion with stakeholders from the other two focus groups to hear a presentation of the preliminary finding and discuss the results with the other stakeholders.
Tentative Agenda:
The University of Calgary Conjoint Faculties Research Ethics Board has approved this study (REB25-0236). You will receive a consent form after registration.
Event Contacts:
Tatenda Mambo
Postdoctoral Associate, The Simpson Centre,
The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary
Email: ttmambo@ucalgary.ca
Vivian Wang
Administrative Coordinator, The Simpson Centre,
The School of Public Policy, University of Calgary
Email: vivian.wang1@ucalgary.ca
ABOUT THE SIMPSON CENTRE.
The Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy is an academic policy institute that supports Canadian agri-food and agriculture, affiliated with the University of Calgary’s School of Public Policy. Our aim is to mobilize research for better policymaking and decision-making to realize a more sustainable agricultural industry. Strengthening the sustainability of agri-food and agribusiness means increasing food production to feed a growing global population, while attending to social and health impacts and the natural environment. Our three key areas of research: 1) Agriculture and Society (population health and environment), 2) Agriculture and Economics (sustainable productivity), and 3) Agricultural Literacy (public education and outreach). The Simpson Centre remains neutral throughout its research process and in its research outputs. We connect researchers, citizens, industry stakeholders and government actors to scientific issues critical to the future of Canada’s agricultural and food system.