Cultivating change: Cooperative-led regenerative revolution

International Cooperative Alliance Director General Jeroen Douglas

ICA Director General Jeroen Douglas and Solidaridad Asia Managing Director Dr. Shatadru Chattopadhayay 

An in-depth conversation with International Cooperative Alliance Director General Jeroen Douglas.

The International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) recently solidified its commitment to a sustainable agricultural future by joining the board of regenagri as a shareholder, a landmark move represented by its Director General Jeroen Douglas. 

This strategic alliance is poised to create a significant impact, particularly for agricultural nations like Sri Lanka, which supports millions of smallholder farmers. In an exclusive online discussion from Brussels, Douglas spoke with the Daily FT, offering a visionary outlook on the implications, opportunities, and future of regenerative agriculture powered by the cooperative movement. Here are excerpts.

Q: ICA joining regenagri’s board has been hailed as a game changer. Could you elaborate on why this partnership is so pivotal for ICA members globally, and particularly in a nation like Sri Lanka?

 This partnership represents more than a simple collaboration; it is the confluence of two powerful, shared visions aimed at fundamentally transforming global agriculture through sustainable, farmer-centric, regenerative practices. The International Cooperative Alliance is the global voice for a movement that encompasses over one billion members, a significant portion of whom are smallholder farmers who act as stewards of our planet’s land and resources. For too long, these farmers have been at the mercy of volatile markets and degrading environmental conditions. This alliance is a declaration that a new era is possible.

Regenagri’s proven, data-driven methodologies and certification frameworks provide the tools for this transformation. They offer a clear pathway for farmers to access higher-value markets that are increasingly demanding proof of sustainability, enabling them to build prosperous livelihoods while actively healing their environment. In a country like Sri Lanka, where agriculture is the very backbone of rural economies, embracing regenagri standards is not just an upgrade—it’s a paradigm shift. It is about empowering farming communities to build a future defined by resilience, greater productivity, and profound ecological harmony.

Q: What does regenerative agriculture specifically offer the smallholder farmers of Sri Lanka?

 Regenerative agriculture offers a pathway to liberation and sovereignty for smallholder farmers. At its core, it is about restoring the natural vitality of the earth—it fundamentally rebuilds soil health, enhances biodiversity, and contributes to the global effort of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, all while increasing the productivity of the farm. For Sri Lanka’s dedicated smallholders, this translates into a cascade of benefits: healthier, more resilient soils that can better withstand climatic shocks, leading to more stable and abundant yields. More than that, it builds resilience against the escalating climate crisis, which is a critical advantage in a nation so frequently affected by extreme weather events.

Furthermore, this partnership unlocks new economic pathways. Through regenagri’s carbon in-setting program, cooperatives can measure and verify greenhouse gas reductions and soil carbon improvements from their regenerative practices. This process generates verified carbon credits, which represent a reduction in the farm’s carbon footprint. These credits can then create an additional revenue stream for the cooperative and its members by negotiating with the downstream buyers who are trying to reduce their carbon footprint and are willing to reward farmers for their positive environmental impact. It’s a powerful model where ecological restoration translates directly to economic benefits.

Q: How do you envision ICA’s membership in regenagri influencing the cooperative farming movement worldwide?

The ICA’s global membership is a powerful network for change, and through it, we can scale the adoption of regenagri standards with unprecedented speed and impact. Cooperatives are not top-down institutions; they are built from the ground up, deeply embedded in the communities they serve. This inherent structure makes them the perfect vehicles for championing regenerative methods that resonate with both economic aspirations and environmental stewardship.

This creates a powerful domino effect: as one cooperative embraces regenerative agriculture and reaps the benefits, it inspires others. As more cooperatives join this movement, market opportunities expand, best practices are shared and refined, and farmers across the world benefit collectively from this shared wisdom. This is amplified by our strategic alliances, such as our long-standing partnership with Solidaridad, which allows us to pool resources and expertise to support cooperatives in their journey. Our ultimate goal is to make regenerative practices a cornerstone of the global cooperative identity, creating a mainstream movement driven by cooperative systems.

Q: What immediate opportunities does ICA see in implementing regenagri standards?

The most immediate and compelling opportunities are found in establishing transparency and achieving market differentiation. In today’s world, consumers and international markets are not just buying a product; they are buying a story, a commitment. They are increasingly demanding credible, verifiable evidence of sustainability, and regenagri certification provides exactly that.

This allows ICA member cooperatives to move beyond local commodity markets and present verifiably regenerative products to the world, gaining a competitive edge and ensuring fairer returns for their farmer-members. For a nation like Sri Lanka, with its global reputation for premium tea, spices, and other export crops, regenagri certification is a golden opportunity. It can position its cooperatives as leaders at the forefront of the premium, sustainably, and ethically sourced agricultural products market.

Q: What role does technology play in making regenerative agriculture viable and attractive for smallholders?

Technology is the great enabler in this transition. It is central to the regenagri approach, democratising access to powerful tools and insights. Through the regenagri digital platform, farmers can accurately monitor the health of their soil, track water usage, and measure positive impacts on biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

This provides data-driven insights that empower smallholders to make informed decisions, optimise their practices, enhance productivity, and minimise their environmental footprint. Crucially, technology makes the process of verification and certification more efficient, scalable, and accessible for even the smallest farms, ensuring no one is left behind in this agricultural revolution.

Q: Looking ahead, how might this partnership between ICA and regenagri evolve over the next five years?

 I see our collaboration deepening profoundly, becoming a cornerstone of our global strategy. Over the next five years, we anticipate a wave of adoption of regenagri standards across our vast network of ICA cooperatives, catalysing systemic and lasting change throughout global agriculture. We envision a future of enhanced data integration, where insights from millions of farms create a powerful feedback loop for continuous improvement. We will work to build a robust and vibrant global marketplace dedicated to regenerative products. Ultimately, this partnership will firmly establish cooperatives as the undisputed global leaders in sustainable agriculture, serving as a powerful demonstration of how our business model can deliver profound and positive environmental and socio-economic impacts.

Q: What is your message to policy makers in Sri Lanka and globally on the subject of regenerative agriculture?

 My message is clear: regenerative agriculture is not merely a good practice—it is an essential policy for the 21st century. Policymakers must awaken to the immense potential that regenerative systems hold for building climate resilience, fostering sustainable economic growth, and advancing social equity. Governments have a critical role to play. By actively supporting regenerative practices through education, infrastructure development, research, and forward-thinking incentives, they can unlock transformative outcomes for rural communities and the health of our planet. Sri Lanka has the potential to become a shining example for the world, demonstrating how progressive policy and unified cooperative action can forge a future of agricultural sustainability and widespread rural prosperity.

Q: How optimistic are you that regenerative agriculture will become the norm rather than the exception?

 I am incredibly optimistic, more so now than ever. We are witnessing a historic global momentum, a powerful convergence of forces. This change is being pulled by conscious consumer demand, pushed by the undeniable urgency of the climate crisis, and propelled by a new understanding of true value. The principles of regenerative agriculture resonate deeply with the innate values that farmers have always held—a profound connection to their land, a commitment to their communities, and the desire for economic stability. Through the ICA’s global partnership with regenagri, we are not just participating in this movement; we are dedicated to leading it, ensuring that these life-affirming practices become the mainstream standard, transforming our world’s agricultural landscape for many generations to come.