Exploring the Potential of South African Agroecological Practices for Regenerative Agriculture in the Netherlands
Summary
As the Netherlands faces increasing ecological, climatic, and systemic pressures, interest in regenerative agriculture (RA) is growing. Yet the country’s transition remains in its early stages, constrained by economic uncertainties, policy fragmentation, and a lack of clear implementation strategies. This literature review explores how traditional and low-input agricultural practices from South Africa, particularly those developed under conditions of drought, resource scarcity, and communal land use, can inform regenerative transitions in the Dutch context. Using a comparative framework, the review first assesses the state of RA in the Netherlands, then examines agroecological systems in South Africa. It highlights three underutilised practices with high transfer potential: integrated crop–livestock systems, biopesticides derived from indigenous plants, and adjusted seeding times based on traditional ecological knowledge. These methods align with core RA principles and address persistent Dutch agricultural challenges, including nutrient cycling inefficiencies, pesticide dependency, and climate variability. The review concludes by evaluating the conditions for successful adaptation, emphasising participatory experimentation, knowledge exchange, and policy support. It also suggests that the Netherlands’ technological infrastructure could reduce labour demands and enhance the feasibility of implementation. By drawing on long-standing ecological knowledge systems, this review contributes to ongoing discussions on how global agroecological insights can strengthen regenerative, inclusive, and climate-resilient food systems in temperate regions.