ReGenFarm Project: Advancing Regenerative Agriculture through Collaborative Research

Jülich, Germany – December 2, 2024 – The Institute for Bio and Geosciences at Forschungszentrum Jülich, the Damianshof in Rommerskirchen, and Bayer Crop Science have launched the “ReGenFarm Project,” a two-year collaboration to advance knowledge in regenerative agriculture.

Team photo at the ReGenFarm kick-off meeting
On December 2nd, the kick-off meeting for the "ReGenFarm" collaboration brought together Forschungszentrum Jülich, Bayer Crop Science, and the Damianshof at the Bayer Life Hub in Monheim.
Forschungszentrum Jülich: IBG-3

Tackling Agricultural and Environmental Challenges

ReGenFarm addresses pressing agricultural and environmental challenges by leveraging carbon farming practices to enhance soil health and mitigate climate change. Carbon farming, which aims to increase carbon sequestration in soil and plant biomass, reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving soil fertility.

Three Objectives for Regenerative Agriculture

The initiative focuses on three key objectives to deliver tools and insights that support innovative agricultural practices and business models:

  1. Developing and Validating a Soil Digital Twin
    This advanced tool will enhance agricultural production and carbon sequestration by supporting decision-making in practices such as cover cropping, crop rotations, and no-till farming.

  2. Enable Plant Breeding for Enhanced Carbon Sequestration
    The project focuses on advancing plant breeding to develop traits that improve carbon storage in soil, thereby contributing to sustainable agricultural productivity.

  3. Developing Baseline Methods for Soil Health Monitoring
    New methods will quantify microbial activity and assess overall soil health, creating benchmarks for regenerative farming practices.

Real-World Applications and Testing

The research will combine glasshouse experiments and field trials conducted on a typical Rhine Valley farm in Germany. The results will complement ongoing R&D efforts in regenerative agriculture across public institutions, with findings integrated into business model development for Bayer Crop Science and potential startup initiatives.

The collaboration underscores the ecosystem approach, bridging industry, academia, and practical farming. By involving farmers directly in the innovation process, the project aims to deliver actionable insights and tangible outcomes, such as refined regenerative practices applicable across diverse agroecosystems and geographies.

Building the Future of Agriculture

This initiative aims to provide the scientific basis for advancing regenerative agriculture, with potential applications in business, plant breeding, and soil health monitoring. These findings may not only benefit Bayer’s internal models but could also create opportunities for startups, venture capital investments, and broader contributions to sustainable farming practices.

About the Partners

The Damianshof, a family-owned farm in Rommerskirchen, serves as a testbed for sustainable agricultural innovations. Bayer Crop Science is a global leader in agricultural solutions, driving innovation to promote sustainable food systems.

Contact

Prof. Dr. Johan Alexander Huisman

Head of research group "Vadose Zone Hydrogeophysics"

  • Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG)
  • Agrosphere (IBG-3)
Building 16.6 /
Room 3056
+49 2461/61-8607
E-Mail

Dr. Marie-Isabel Ludwig

Wissenstransfer und Kommunikation

  • Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG)
  • Agrosphere (IBG-3)
Building 16.6 /
Room 3037
+49 2461/61-9012
E-Mail

Last Modified: 09.12.2024