March 7, 2025.4 minutes

Reflections from Landed: Regenerating nature through food & fibres

Kanika Chandaria

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending Landed, Founders Forum's first event fully dedicated to nature. Alongside Simon, our CEO at Agreena, we shared our work and perspectives on regenerative agriculture. Unlike many climate events that often feel conceptual, Landed focused on tangible, practical solutions in underserved climate areas - particularly regenerative farming, food systems, and sustainable fashion.

Co-curated with environmentalist and DIRT Charity Founder Arizona Muse, the event brought together diverse participants including farmers, entrepreneurs, artists, NGOs, investors, experts, and even indigenous voices. The unique format, which wove mindfulness practices and music throughout the day, kept energy and engagement high.

One statement that resonated strongly came from Ben Goldsmith: "We have been valuing nature, but at zero." This simple yet powerful observation cuts to the heart of our environmental challenges. If we are to change this, we need ways to quantify and demonstrate the value of natural capital through measurable practices. Digital Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (dMRV) technologies are making it possible to track and measure the environmental benefits of regenerative farming, providing valuable data to the agri-supply chain. We ultimately can’t value what we can’t measure.

Simon, Agreena’s CEO, reminded us of the critical challenge of scale: "Most often, when we talk about regenerative agriculture, we mention a few thousand hectares, but that's just a drop in the ocean compared to the 5 billion hectares of global agricultural land, including 1-2 billion hectares of arable land. To scale this impact, we must leverage technology to put knowledge directly into the hands of farmers - because every field is different. It's not enough to think locally or regionally."

This highlights a fundamental challenge: how do we move from isolated success stories to widespread adoption?

While regenerative agriculture is rightfully gaining attention, we heard important cautions about maintaining integrity. As John Elkington, the creator of the Triple Bottom Line concept, noted: "Regenerative agriculture is not new, but it's trending now, which opens room for dilution. It's not a dog and pony show. We can’t forget the underlying science."

As more businesses enter this space, it is critical to uphold rigorous standards and ensure that regenerative agriculture remains grounded in solid scientific principles. While global adoption and continued scaling are essential, maintaining integrity is just as crucial. We can’t let perfect be the enemy of good, but we also can’t afford to cut corners.

George Lamb’s observation about organic farming - that it has "only achieved 2% of market share after 70 years because the burden is put on the farmers" - highlights the need to support farmers in this transition.

We must develop commercially viable models and market mechanisms that fit within existing agricultural systems rather than expecting farmers to bear the cost of change alone. If we want regenerative agriculture to scale, it has to work economically for farmers too.

Perhaps most compelling was the growing discussion linking soil health directly to human health. We often think about what we eat, but rarely what our food eats.

The comparison of regenerated soils and nutrient-rich food to luxury fashion, versus eroded soils and ultra-processed foods to fast fashion, provided a striking visual framework for understanding the stakes. As research continues to evolve in this space, we look forward to seeing how these connections shape consumer awareness and policy action.

What struck me most about Landed was its emphasis on solutions we already have. The challenge isn't so much developing new technologies as it is scaling what works while maintaining integrity and scientific rigour.

For those of us working in this space, the message was clear:

• Value nature properly by integrating natural capital into economic models

• Develop commercially viable approaches that work at scale, rather than placing the burden solely on farmers

• Help consumers understand the direct links between a healthy planet and their own wellbeing

A huge thank you to Sammy Fry and Arizona Muse for creating a space where these conversations could unfold among such a diverse group of participants. The cross-pollination of ideas from agriculture to fashion to finance is exactly what we need to tackle these complex challenges.

Learn more

Explore our latest articles

From credit to credibility: The importance of data verification

Read the full story

The VCM game-changer: What Agreena's Verra registration means for the voluntary carbon market

Read the full story

A message from our CEO: Agreena's Verra registration is a milestone for regenerative agriculture

Read the full story