From the rise and fall of Ancient Greece to the catastrophic 1930s Dust Bowl disaster in the US, human civilisation has always been intricately tied to the way we treat the land. Geologist David Montgommery and biologist Anne Biklé talk us through humanity’s relationship with soil up to the age of industrial agriculture, and our impacts on the symbiotic relationships between fungi, plants and microbial life that provide the foundation for much of life on earth, and we visit the farm of respected fifth generation Australian farmer, scientist and author Dr Charlie Massy.

Chemicals, dinosaur dung & diesel: we trace the rise of superphosphates, fertilisers and monocrops. From scientific breakthroughs intended to help us produce food more efficiently to the rise of Big Ag. Following the fungal networks in the soil, and through the voices of biologists, farmers and journalists we hear about the impacts this has had on the land, farmers’ mental health and rural debt. Slowly, a handful of farmers around the world started experimenting with ‘radical’ ways of managing the land, what we now know as ‘regenerative agriculture’.

For the first time, the way we manage the land has not only degraded our soils, but drastically changed our climate. Erosion, soil degradation and loss of life has impacted the small water cycle and the ability of the land to mitigate heat. We are facing the greatest existential crisis in human history. But there are solutions. Climate scientists and outback farmers break down the science that connects soil, water and the climate, demonstrating how regenerative agricultural practices are turning things around.

Will industrial agriculture be able to feed a growing population in an uncertain climate future on degraded soils? Would regenerative farming practices do any better? Through the voices of food security experts, Indigenous leaders and scientists, we explain the importance of protecting and rebuilding soil for global food security.

Following food from seed to plate, we hear how our bodies and health are impacted by what we eat. From chemical poisoning events on farms to the rise of diseases and allergies, soil has been linked to a global public health crisis. We also unpack the nutritional value of regenerative compared to industrially-farmed produce to understand how farming practices affect our food.

The regenerative farming movement is growing around the world, but it needs support from all of us. Here, we highlight stories from the many faces of the global movement for change and the role that all of us can play. We visit urban farms, hear from the universities offering regenerative agriculture courses and follow the push for soil regulation.