Cargill is working with environmental services provider Klim to promote regenerative agriculture in eastern Germany. Through Cargill RegenConnect, farmers receive financial incentives and on-the-ground support to adopt regenerative practices such as reduced tillage and growing cover crops (Zwischenfrüchte).
Klim acts as Cargill’s local partner. It recruits farmers to the programme, makes participation easier, and coordinates data collection and verification. Klim CEO Robert Gerlach said that a partnership with a large agricultural trader can connect farmers with many food companies at once, helping regenerative agriculture scale across supply chains. (Translated from German.)
According to Cargill, regenerative agriculture can help reduce CO2 emissions in the upstream supply chain. The company also says the practices can improve soil health, support biodiversity and make water management more efficient.
Gerlach pointed to drought. He said large parts of Germany have repeatedly suffered extreme, record-breaking dry periods since 2018, affecting yields and prices and steadily degrading soil. He said food companies and retailers want to reverse that trend to secure supply, manage volatility and protect long-term profitability, but many buy their raw materials without dealing directly with farmers. (Translated from German.)
Cargill’s Wider Work in Germany
Cargill says it has supported farmers in improving soil health for several years. Its “From The Ground Up” initiative, now in its fourth year, uses workshops, online resources and field days, and Cargill says it has reached 193,000 people. The RegenConnect programme helps farmers identify which methods work best for soil health on their own land.
