Podcast · Tech & Science

Deep Seed - Regenerative Agriculture

by Raphael Esterhazy · English · Tech & Science

Welcome to the Deep Seed Podcast, your ultimate source for all things regenerative agriculture, soil health, and ecosystem restoration! Join your host, Raphaël, on an exciting journey into the heart of sustainable farming and environmental resilience. The podcast is packed with inspiring conversat

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 59 min
Latest: 15 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

15 Oct 2026 · 1 hr 13 minNew

New episode of 10/14 07:35 PM

In this episode of The Deep Seed Podcast, I sit down with wildlife biologist and conservation scientist Dr Shekhar Kolipaka to explore one of the biggest questions at the heart of regeneration: how can humans learn to live with nature again? Shekhar takes us from ancient rock art and Indigenous relationships with wildlife to the rise of agriculture, modern cities and increasingly fragile food systems. We explore how humans gradually became disconnected from the ecosystems that sustain us and what it might take to rebuild that relationship. But this isn’t only a philosophical conversation. In…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

30 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
How to Bring an Ecosystem Back to Life | Astrid Vargas
Astrid Vargas has spent her life helping bring endangered species back from the brink of extinction, from the black-footed ferret in North America to the Iberian lynx in Spain. But over the years, her focus expanded from saving individual species to something much bigger: restoring entire ecosystems and landscapes. In this episode, we follow that remarkable journey. We explore the silent decline of butterflies and insects, the extraordinary recovery of the Iberian lynx, what happens when predators return to an ecosystem, and why restoring nature ultimately means working with the people who…
16 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
The 20-Year Plan to Restore Nature at Scale [WILLEM FERWERDA]
What does it actually take to restore nature? Not just on individual farms or through isolated projects, but across entire landscapes? For more than a decade, ecologist and Commonland founder Willem Ferwerda has been working on exactly that question. In this episode, Willem takes us inside the thinking behind Commonland and the Four Returns framework : a long-term approach to landscape restoration that brings together ecology, agriculture, communities, business and finance. We explore why restoring ecosystems requires thinking in decades; why technical knowledge is often not the biggest…
9 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 35 min
How China Brought 4 Million Hectares Back to Life | John D. Liu
What if humanity already knows how to restore the ecosystems we have degraded? For more than three decades, filmmaker and ecologist John D. Liu has documented some of the world’s most ambitious efforts to bring damaged landscapes back to life. His work documenting the restoration of China’s Loess Plateau showed him something that would shape the rest of his life: large-scale ecological degradation is not necessarily irreversible. So if restoration is possible, why aren’t we doing it everywhere? In this conversation, John takes us from the Loess Plateau to the possibility of restoring the…
20 Aug 2026 · 34 min
From Soil to Plate: The Chef Who Became a Farmer
A few years ago, Anna Wynants decided to combine her two biggest passions: farming and cooking. She opened ‘De Keukentafel’, which is both a small organic regenerative farm and a fine dining restaurant. Every morning, she walks into the gardens with her coffee to see what’s thriving, what’s ripe, and which ingredients are ready to find their way onto the menu. For a creative chef like her, it’s like paradise: a whole range of fresh and delicious ingredients to choose from. She then expertly and lovingly harvests, transforms and elevates these ingredients to create beautiful, original and…
30 Jun 2026 · 1 hr 54 min
🇫🇷 Pierre Weill - la santé humaine commence dans les sols!
Et si notre santé ne commençait pas dans l’assiette… mais bien plus bas, dans les sols ? Dans cet épisode, je reçois Pierre Weill, agronome, auteur de Une seule santé et pionnier d’une approche qui relie santé des sols, santé des plantes, santé animale, alimentation humaine et santé publique. On parle de One Health, de densité nutritionnelle, d’agroécologie, de maladies chroniques, d’oméga-3, de polyphénols, de goût, de prévention, mais aussi d’un sujet essentiel : comment créer un nouveau contrat entre agriculteurs, citoyens, scientifiques, entreprises et décideurs pour produire une…
20 May 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
The Joy and Wonder of Being a Regenerative Farmer [Naomi Oakley & Gunnar Thelin]
In this episode of Deep Seed , regenerative farmers Naomi Oakley and Gunnar Thelin explore what modern agriculture could become if we stopped treating nature as a machine and started listening to living systems again. This is not another conversation about agricultural policy, carbon markets, subsidies or food system bureaucracy. It is a deeply human conversation about regenerative farming, biodiversity, grazing animals, soil health, ecosystem restoration, community, belonging… and joy. For Naomi, farming is the privilege of waking up every morning to work alongside animals, landscapes and…
29 Apr 2026 · 45 min
Why the Food System is Breaking and How to Fix it [IVO DEGN]
Let me ask you this: do you think Europe can feed itself in 20–30 years under current conditions? In this episode of the Deep Seed Podcast, I sit down with Ivo Degn (Re:source) to unpack a reality very few people are willing to face: Europe’s food system is becoming more fragile, more volatile, and less resilient every year. We talk about rising food insecurity, collapsing soil health, fertiliser dependency on fossil fuels, ageing farmers with no one to replace them, and a system that was never designed for the world we now live in. This conversation reframes regenerative agriculture from a…
31 Mar 2026 · 41 min
What If Kindness Is the Missing Piece in Regenerative Agriculture?
What if restoring our soils isn’t just a scientific challenge… but an emotional, even spiritual one? What if the future of farming depends as much on beauty, connection, and intention as it does on data, yields, and carbon? In this powerful episode of the Deep Seed Podcast, landscape architect Marian Boswall takes us on a journey that starts with dead soil… and leads to a completely new way of seeing land, food, and life itself. This is not your typical conversation about agriculture. It’s deeper. Slower. More human. And, honestly, more hopeful. 🌍 Why You Should Watch This Episode If you…
24 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 5 min
The Crops That Could Save Our Food System (but we ignore them...)
What if the future of food isn’t high-tech… but ancient wisdom? We’ve built a global food system on just four crops... and it’s starting to crack! The real question is: what happens when it breaks? In this episode of the Deep Seed Podcast , Professor Sayed Azam-Ali (University of Nottingham, Crops For the Future) reveals why the key to resilient, nutritious, and truly sustainable food systems might already exist—hidden in so-called “forgotten crops.” We unpack how modern agriculture became dangerously dependent on a handful of commodity crops like wheat, rice, maize, and soy—and why this…
17 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 15 min
The Farming System Is Broken... And Farmers Know It! [DAVID WHEATLEY]
What happens when a farmer publicly admits that modern agriculture might be broken? In this episode, British farmer David Wheatley joins the Deep Seed Podcast to share the unfiltered reality of modern farming. After losing almost everything in a devastating farm fire and facing years of financial losses during COVID, David started posting honest videos about life on his farm — and unexpectedly built an audience of millions. Today, his content offers a rare window into the real economics of agriculture: volatile weather, rising input costs, global commodity markets, and the constant risk…
3 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 43 min
How This Regenerative Farmer Cut Costs and Increased Profits [JAMES BUCHER]
What happens when a former hedge fund trader walks away from finance… survives a near-fatal accident… and rebuilds his farm using regenerative agriculture? In this episode of the Deep Seed Podcast , James Butcher shares how he transformed his Suffolk farm from a high-input, chemical-dependent system into a diversified regenerative farming model using: Companion cropping Livestock integration Agroforestry Reduced synthetic nitrogen Biological soil health principles And here’s the kicker: He slashed growing costs from £1,500–£2,000 per hectare to under £600 per hectare — while increasing…
24 Feb 2026 · 59 min
India’s Farming Revolution Is Led by Women 🇮🇳 [NITYA RAO]
What if the future of regenerative agriculture won’t be decided in Europe… but in India, Africa, and the Global South? In this powerful Deep Seed mini-episode, we sit down with Professor Nitya Rao , leading gender and climate researcher and contributor to the Lancet Commission on Food Systems , to explore a perspective we rarely hear in the regenerative agriculture movement. Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: 👉 Many smallholder farmers in India are already farming regeneratively — not because it’s trendy, but because they have no choice. 👉 Women are carrying entire food systems on their…
17 Feb 2026 · 54 min
Does Regenerative Agriculture Actually Work? Top Scientist Answers [LYNN DICKS]
Can regenerative agriculture really restore biodiversity, rebuild soil health, increase farmer profits and still feed the world? Or is it just a powerful story we want to believe? In this evidence-based Deep Seed conversation, biodiversity scientist Professor Lynn Dicks shares groundbreaking real-world research from commercial farms in the UK and India — revealing what the science actually says about regenerative agriculture, agroecology, nature-based solutions, and the future of our food system. This episode is essential listening for farmers, policymakers, sustainability professionals,…
3 Feb 2026 · 1 hr 34 min
How Do We Really Scale Regenerative Agriculture? [ANDREW VOYSEY]
In this episode of Deep Seed , I sit down with Andrew Voysey , Chief Impact Officer at Soil Capital , to go beyond slogans and dig into what it actually takes to scale regenerative agriculture in a world built for short-term output. We unpack why most farmers feel trapped, why markets alone won’t fix our food systems, and how credible impact measurement — paired with smart policy and aligned incentives — could unlock transition at scale. Whether you’re a farmer, a food-chain professional, a policymaker, an investor, or someone who eats food every day (which is all of us), this conversation…
27 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 33 min
Why the Food System is About to Collapse [TIM BENTON]
Our food system is on the verge of collapse — but we can fix it. In this episode, we’re joined by Tim Benton , one of the world’s leading experts on food security, to unpack the deep systemic drivers behind the crisis… and what a truly regenerative future could look like. We cover: Why the food system is fundamentally unsustainable The 3 “lock-ins” keeping us stuck How planetary boundaries apply to farming and diets The myth of green growth What gives Tim hope — and what needs to change now This is one of the most powerful and important episodes we’ve recorded. If you care about the future…
20 Jan 2026 · 1 hr 17 min
True Cost of Cheap Food: How to Fix Our Broken Food System [ADELE JONES]
What if every bite of cheap food you eat is secretly costing society triple the price you paid at checkout? In this eye-opening episode, food systems expert Adele Jones (former Executive Director of the Sustainable Food Trust) pulls back the curtain on the true cost of our food. From soil health and ecosystem collapse to diet-related disease and skyrocketing healthcare costs, Adele explains how we’re already paying the true price of industrial farming. And it’s way more than what we spend at the supermarket! But it’s not all bad news. Adele lays out a hopeful, inspiring roadmap to a…
18 Dec 2025 · 16 min
Rewind #11 - Syntropic Agroforesty: Farming like a Forest [ANTONIO COELHO]
In one of the driest, most degraded landscapes in Europe, farmer and agroforester Antonio Coelho has built 60 cm of fertile topsoil, raised organic matter to 7.4%, and slashed irrigation by 85% - all in just six years! In this #REWIND episode, Antonio shares his deeply inspiring journey into entropic agroforestry , a form of regenerative agriculture that mimics forest ecosystems to grow food, restore land, and rebuild water cycles. He explains how complex, layered polycultures can outcompete monocultures - not just ecologically, but economically too - if we shift how we define productivity.…
16 Dec 2025 · 17 min
Rewind #10 - how to bring a river BACK TO LIFE with Regenerative Agriculture [SILVIA QUARTA]
What if you could bring a dead river back to life by working with farmers, not against them? In this powerful #REWIND episode, Silvia Quarta shares the story of a forgotten valley in one of Europe’s driest regions, where springs stopped flowing, wells ran dry, and the river disappeared. But through radical listening, community trust, and regenerative agriculture, a new vision is starting to emerge. Rooted in hope, soil, and local food systems. This episode is about reimagining what rural life can be, and showing that farmers, shepherds, and citizens can become stewards of large-scale…
12 Dec 2025 · 20 min
Rewind #9 - How to prove regenerative agriculture really works! [PETER FROHLICH]
What if we stopped just talking about regeneration… and started measuring it? In this #REWIND episode, Peter Fröhlich, engineer, farmer, and co-founder of AgriPurpose, lays out a powerful, outcome-driven approach to regenerative agriculture. No fluff! Just clear, data-informed tools to guide land restoration at scale. Peter explains how satellite data, targeted soil testing, and simple metrics like biomass productivity, plant cover, and input efficiency can help farmers, funders, and policymakers align around real impact — not vague promises. This is regeneration with roots. Practical,…
11 Dec 2025 · 19 min
Rewind #8 - Why farmers are paid so little in the current system [NICOLAS VERSCHUERE]
This episode will change the way you think about farming, food, and fairness. When we talk about regenerative agriculture, we often focus on soil. But what about value ? What about money , structure , and power in the food system? In this #REWIND episode, agronomist and regenerative ag pioneer Nicolas Verschuere unpacks how we can rebuild fair, functional value chains that truly reward farmers without making food more expensive. From launching a barley-to-beer cooperative in Belgium to scaling regenerative grains across Europe, this is a powerful look at what it takes to make regeneration…
10 Dec 2025 · 28 min
Rewind #7 - The 4 Pillars of Regenerative Agriculture [NICOLAS VERSCHUERE]
Farmers aren’t the problem... they’re the solution! In this eye-opening episode, agronomist Nicolas Verschuere dismantles common myths about soil health, tillage, and agrochemicals. He reveals what actually works to make farming more regenerative, resilient, and profitable. Drawing on decades of hands-on experience with European farmers, he explains why cover crops, minimal disturbance, and smarter input use are not about perfection but about progress . It’s practical, grounded, and surprisingly hopeful. If you’re curious about how we can heal soils without blaming farmers , this is a…
8 Dec 2025 · 13 min
Rewind #6 - 🇫🇷 Et si labourer tuait notre avenir ? [MARC-ANDRE SELOSSE]
Notre agriculture va droit dans le mur. C’est ce que rappelle, sans détour, le biologiste et mycologue Marc-André Selosse dans ce #REWIND coup de poing. Il nous livre un éclairage saisissant sur le coût réel de l’agriculture conventionnelle : dégradation de la santé des sols , explosion des coûts de dépollution de l’eau , perte de matière organique, émissions de CO₂, et dépendance aux engrais chimiques. Mais il montre aussi qu’un autre chemin est possible — moins coûteux, plus fertile, et plus vivant . En défendant les pratiques de non-labour , de couvre-sol , ou encore la culture des blés…
6 Dec 2025 · 16 min
Rewind #5 - 🇫🇷 MARC-ANDRE SELOSSE nous parle de microbiologie des sols et d'agriculture.
Et si l’agriculture de demain passait par un retour aux racines? Dans cet épisode, le professeur Marc-André Selosse, biologiste, mycologue et vulgarisateur hors pair, nous emmène dans l’univers fascinant du sol vivant et des réseaux mycorhiziens, ces alliances secrètes entre champignons et racines qui façonnent la fertilité de nos terres. Avec passion et précision, il nous explique pourquoi la santé des sols est la clé de notre santé à tous, comment l’agriculture conventionnelle a sauvé l’humanité… mais aussi pourquoi elle atteint aujourd’hui ses limites. Ce n’est pas une leçon de morale.…
4 Dec 2025 · 11 min
Rewind #4 - How LENTELAND is Rethinking Land Ownership in Farming [ELINE VENINGA]
What if farms were owned by communities... and managed for generations to come? 🌱 In this #REWIND episode, we revisit a powerful moment with Eline Veninga , co-founder of Lenteland , a groundbreaking initiative in the Netherlands that’s rethinking land ownership, farmer succession, and regenerative agriculture from the ground up. Eline breaks down the structural barriers young farmers face — from sky-high land prices to outdated financial systems — and how Lenteland’s community-owned, farmer-led model offers a radically hopeful alternative. She also shares how Lenteland supports farmers with…
2 Dec 2025 · 12 min
Rewind #3 - From Weeds to Regeneration: The Wilder Land Story [MATTHIJS WESTERWOUDT]
What if “weeds” could become the future of farming? 🌿 In this #REWIND episode, Matthijs Westerwoudt, co-founder of Wilder Land, shares how a bold idea to grow native plants for tea turned into a regenerative business model for biodiversity. Inspired by Commonland’s landscape restoration framework, Matthijs set out to build a company that wouldn’t just “do less harm”, but would actually restore ecosystems as it scaled. In this short, punchy episode, he explains how native herbs like chamomile, yarrow, and nettle — often dismissed as weeds — can create income for farmers, bring back…
29 Nov 2025 · 12 min
Rewind #2 - Can We Learn to Live With Wolves? [WILLEMIJN DE IONGH]
Wolves are returning to Europe... and it’s stirring up powerful emotions! Can we learn to coexist with predators in a human-dominated landscape? 🐺🌾 In this #REWIND episode of the Deep Seed Podcast, we revisit a powerful moment with Willemijn de Iong from Commonland . Willemijn shares her insights on the return of wolves in the Netherlands, the conflict with sheep farmers, and what we can learn from human-wildlife conflict in Kenya. This conversation dives into: ✅ How wolves are changing ecosystems in real time (trophic cascades) ✅ The emotional and cultural tensions with rewilding ✅…
26 Nov 2025 · 22 min
Rewind #1 - Can Farming Be a Force for Good? [WILLEMIJN DE IONGH]
🎧 In this Deep Seed #REWIND episode, we revisit a powerful reflection from Willemijn de Iong of Commonland , who shares how farmers in the Netherlands are redefining their role in ecosystem restoration . She dives into the heart of the Wijland project , where over 300 farmers are shifting away from intensive dairy monocultures toward regenerative and nature-inclusive farming practices — all while building community and economic resilience. Willemijn also unpacks the deep structural challenges and offers an inspiring vision for how we can create a new “Combined Zone” that integrates…
19 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 35 min
How Regenerative Farming Could Save Europe [SIMON KRAEMER]
In this episode, I sit down with Simon Kraemer from the European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) a fast-growing, farmer-led network that’s quietly shaking the foundations of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) . Simon takes us inside the movement’s origins, its mission to regenerate both ecosystems and democracy, and the groundbreaking farmer-led report that could redefine how we measure agricultural success in Europe. 💡 In this conversation, we explore: Why EARA was born and what makes it different from traditional farming unions How regenerative farmers across Europe are…
12 Nov 2025 · 1 hr 18 min
Can regenerative agriculture really be profitable? [Thomas Lecomte]
According to Thomas Lecompte of Soil Capital Farming , the answer is a resounding yes ! If you embrace complexity, plan for the long term, and treat the farm as a living system, not a factory. In this episode, we dive deep into what it takes to transition large-scale conventional farms into regenerative systems without sacrificing profitability . Thomas shares powerful case studies from Argentina and Belgium, where farmers reduced inputs like synthetic fertilizer and herbicides, improved soil health , integrated livestock using holistic grazing , and still maintained (or improved!) gross…

About Deep Seed - Regenerative Agriculture

Deep Seed - Regenerative Agriculture is a English tech & science podcast from Raphael Esterhazy. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Raphael Esterhazy
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 59 min
Latest episode: 15 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1730664032
Rights: Raphael Esterhazy

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