Sofia, May 5 (BTA) - Kirsten Wielaard and her bike were at Farm
Made, the twice-weekly farmers' market in cetral Sofia, on
Wednesday. This was one of her stopovers along the nearly 10,000
 km velo tour from the Netherlands to Tokyo that she has
embarked on to promote regenerative farming.

She has cycled through Belgium, Luxembourg, France, Switzerland,
 Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia and Serbia, visiting farms
and meeting with producers to discuss the benefits of
regenerative farming.

Regenerative farming - also called intelligent climate farming -
 steps on agricultural topsoil regeneration practices and return
 of carbon dioxide (CO2). Practiced by large food producers and
small farms alike, it improves natural resources instead of
depleting them. Regenerative farming has proved that healthy
food can be produced in a sustainable way in an organic topsoil
with reduced dependence on fertilizers, pesticides and
herbicides. It brings bees and other pollinators back to the
fields, relies on birds and insectivores to keep them free of
pests, and boosts natural biodiversity.

At the Farm Made market in Sofia on Wednesday Kirsten Wielaard
met with local farmers who produce organic food in regions with
clean environment. She also met with representatives of the
Bioselena Organic Farming Foundation, which organizes the
market, and of the Veloevolution organization of bike
enthusiasts.

She told reporters who were there to meet with her, that she
hopes to inspire both people who would take up regenerative
agriculture as a side job or hobby, and farmers to switch from
mainstream to regenerative farming. "It looks scary at first
becase it is not so well known but you can really make a good
business out of it," she said.

Her mission during her bike tour is to promote awareness for
regenerative farming and raise funding for regenerative
ecosystem projects. Regenerative faming turns dry desert areas
into fertile land, using a combination of animals, smart farming
 and traditional natural farming techniques, and that restores
biodiversity, she said. Kirsten Wielaard is convinced that by
working with nature, instead of against it, regenerative farming
 projects can give both nature and society a second chance.
LN/BR