What role does policy play in shaping the future of farming? 🔖

In this third part, we shift focus from the fields to the political arena, exploring how the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) influences farmers’ ability to transition toward regenerative agriculture.

Drawing on her background in agricultural policy and her experience as a farmer, Ariane Lotti explains the paradox of subsidies: they can help, but they can also hinder. While the CAP was designed to support food production, it has too often pushed farmers toward dependency on machinery and industrial models, driving people off the land and making regeneration harder.

Ariane reveals:

• Why EU subsidies can both save and sabotage farmers

• How policy must change to support soil health and biodiversity

• What a fairer and more resilient food system could look like

This episode takes us beyond the farm gate, into the structures that determine whether regenerative agriculture can truly scale.

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This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.

Soil Capital - https://www.soilcapital.com/

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🔗 Useful Links:

Tenuta San Carlo - https://tenutasancarlo.com/en

Deep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/

Raphaël Esterhazy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-esterhazy/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Can rice farming be both productive and regenerative? 🌾

In this second part, we explore the rice fields of Tenuta San Carlo in Tuscany, where Ariane Lotti is experimenting with bold new practices that challenge the logic of conventional agriculture.

From using ducks as natural weed control to testing no-till rice systems and innovative crop rotations, Ariane shows how regenerative farming can build living soils, increase nutrient density, and restore biodiversity. We also discuss one of the most pressing issues facing farmers today: water. How do you farm in the face of droughts and climate uncertainty?

Ariane reveals:

• Why ducks may be the future of regenerative rice farming

• How cover crops and rotations bring resilience to soils and ecosystems

• What droughts are teaching farmers about adaptation and water management

This is a look at farming as an experiment in ecosystem restoration — blending tradition, creativity, and science to build resilience.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.

Soil Capital - https://www.soilcapital.com/

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

🔗 Useful Links:

Tenuta San Carlo - https://tenutasancarlo.com/en

Deep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/

Raphaël Esterhazy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-esterhazy/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

What if conventional farming is failing us, and the solution lies hidden in the soils beneath our feet?

In this first part, we dive into the personal journey behind one of Europe’s most ambitious regenerative agriculture projects. Ariane Lotti returned to her family farm in Tuscany, determined to transform more than 500 hectares of conventional farmland into a model for organic and regenerative farming. Against droughts, financial pressures, and skepticism from her peers, she bet everything on a vision of farming built on soil health, biodiversity, and resilience.

👩‍🌾 Ariane reveals:

• What it takes to risk your family farm on regeneration

• The challenges of transitioning from conventional to organic farming

• Why building farmer-to-farmer networks was essential for success

This is a story of courage, conviction, and the power of taking one step at a time toward a healthier food future.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

This podcast was produced in partnership with Soil Capital, a company that supports #regenerativeagriculture by financially rewarding farmers who improve soil health & biodiversity.

https://www.soilcapital.com/

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

🔗 Useful Links:

Tenuta San Carlo - https://tenutasancarlo.com/en

Deep Seed podcast - https://www.deepseed.eu/

Raphaël Esterhazy - https://www.linkedin.com/in/raphael-esterhazy/

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.