The term “biodiversity” refers to the variety of living organisms found in a given environment. It is also regarded as one of the pillars of regenerative agriculture. At the field level, biodiversity can be further classified into smaller groups: biodiversity of plants (grasses, main crops, bushes, fruit trees…), biodiversity of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, protozoa…), biodiversity of beneficial insects (pollinators, predators, parasites), biodiversity of animals, etc.
All of these elements, as well as their synergistic interactions, contribute to system resiliency, which is defined as a system’s ability to self-regulate and recover from shocks.
At Nectaerra, we work to improve biodiversity at all levels.
The photos below are live from our regenerative farming projects in Egypt clearly demonstrating this concept.
In Figure 1, shows clover as a companion crop, which increases tomato yield while reducing fertilizer input.
In figure 2, a strip of different flowers was grown to attract beneficial insects that act as natural predators for some pests. Farmers who work with nature welcome ladybugs on their farms for the specific benefit of one ladybug eating over 100 aphids per day.
And, because pollinators face many challenges in the modern world, such as habitat loss, disease, parasites, and environmental contaminants, we encourage farmers to provide habitats and host pollinators on their farms, grow native plants rich in nectar and pollen, and reduce chemical inputs, particularly pesticides and instead hosting natural predators to their farms.
