Exploring the Role of Regenerative and Permaculture-Informed Agriculture in Promoting Sustainable Food Systems

This thesis explores approaches to make food systems more sustainable in North America and Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) using regenerative and permaculture methods, by addressing the growing challenges of soil degradation, climate variability, and dependence on imported food. It includes two main parts: a scoping review of 84 articles (from 1994 to 2024) on permaculture’s contribution to food security in North America and a qualitative study based on twenty semi-structured interviews with farmers, NGOs, and government officials in NL. The scoping review identifies six main themes: soil health and land management, water management, biodiversity, animal integration, energy and built systems, and community and economy, revealing widespread ecological and social benefits but persistent policy and market barriers. The qualitative study identifies how farmers in NL adopt regenerative practices like composting, livestock integration, cover cropping, and biochar application, but is constrained by the Crownland policy, environmental degradation, policy misalignment and limited institutional support. These studies show that practices focused on circular use and regeneration can improve ecological resilience, enable communities, and support local food systems. This connects ideas from the circular economy, agroecology, and political ecology. The thesis suggests practical ways to create policies that fit local needs and promote fairer, more sustainable food systems in NL and beyond.