Courage, Knowledge, and Data Accelerated the Adoption of Regenerative Farming in Häme

The adoption of regenerative farming methods on farms happens gradually, requiring years of learning and experimentation. The purpose of the UVIDI project was to promote knowledge and expertise in regenerative farming among farms in Häme through training and small-group collaboration. At the same time, the project worked on developing digital solutions for regenerative farming together with farmers.

Regenerative farming is an essential part of agriculture’s climate work. However, transitioning to it requires farmers to have the courage to try new approaches and find the best practices that suit their operations. Change does not happen overnight, and setbacks are inevitable along the way. Active knowledge-seeking and training are crucial elements of this transition.

Focus on Training and Knowledge Sharing

As part of the UVIDI project, two training programs were organized for farmers. The main themes included assessing and improving soil fertility, diversifying crop rotation, exploring different farm ecosystems, and increasing biodiversity. The training sessions combined in-person and online teaching and included visits to farms that had already been practicing regenerative farming for a longer time.

Participants reported discovering new development opportunities for their farms and paying greater attention to underground soil processes.

According to participant feedback, the best aspects of the training were not only gaining new knowledge but also the practical approach, interaction, and the exchange of experiences with other farmers. Many participants had already made changes to their farming practices as a result of the training. These included diversifying crop rotation and experimenting with cover and intercropping. However, the most significant impact of the training was the shift in mindset: participants stated that they now recognized new development opportunities for their farms and were paying closer attention to soil processes beneath the surface.

Sharing knowledge about regenerative farming with a broader audience was also a key part of the project. Project representatives gave presentations at various events, and soil-themed farmer evenings attracted a good number of participants. These events featured live plants with roots to illustrate, for example, the root system of alfalfa. Such concrete demonstrations piqued the interest of farmers and served as excellent conversation starters.

Based on the project’s training efforts, a five-credit Agroecosystems course has been designed for the open university of applied sciences at HAMK. The project’s results and experiences have also contributed to the development of the curriculum for the Regenerative Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems master’s program, which will launch in autumn 2025.

Digitalization and Data Collection in Regenerative Farming

The project involved four pilot farms practicing regenerative farming. Together with these farms, the project developed measurement and digital solutions to support and verify regenerative farming practices. The farms were also integrated into the Field Observatory service, jointly maintained by the project’s implementing organizations.

Field trials were conducted on each farm with two plots: one practicing conventional cereal farming (control) and the other carbon farming. On all farms, the carbon farming measure was maximizing “green weeks,” meaning that in addition to cereal crops, a cover crop mix was sown. Data collection included soil temperature and moisture sensors as well as farm-specific weather stations.

According to observations, photosynthesis was higher on carbon farming plots than on control plots at two farms, while one farm showed lower photosynthesis. When accounting for all carbon dioxide exchange processes between the soil and the atmosphere, the carbon farming plots were more climate-positive than conventional farming plots on three out of four test farms. Carbon storage decreased on four plots and increased on four others. Among the carbon farming plots, two showed a more positive effect, one a weaker effect, and one was similar to the control plot. However, the monitoring period within the project was relatively short, and weather conditions varied between measurement years. Carbon farming measures did not always succeed as expected — cover crops did not grow, or they were affected by disease. More reliable results would require longer-term monitoring and continued measurements.

The project also monitored how soil organisms responded to ground cover crops on pilot farms. Findings indicated minimal immediate responses among soil organisms to cover crops, but earthworm populations tended to be higher when cover crops were used. However, soil organism communities take time to adapt to changing conditions.

The data collection and digitalization pilots supporting regenerative farming were implemented in collaboration with farmers. These pilots focused on various imaging devices. Visual data is particularly valuable for the future, as it can be used in both research and broader knowledge dissemination. As part of the development efforts, prototypes of a crop imaging station and a root imaging robot were built. A third pilot resulted in the creation of the Farmer App, a mobile application developed in collaboration with Gofore PLC to support farmers. The development of these pilots will continue in future and ongoing projects.

For more information:

Iivari Kunttu

Leading Research Scientist

iivari.kunttu@hamk.fi

+358504622692

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