Should farmers themselves lead the way to a more conservation-focused agricultural landscape? According to a U.S. Department of Interior secretary for water and science, the answer is yes. Experts like Tanya Trujillo and others say a voluntary system in the U.S. is more advantageous than Europe’s strict environmental mandates.

The ground-up strategy was the theme at a recent World Water Week event held at the Stockholm International Water Institute. Another expert, an irrigation and drainage specialist at World Bank, said government assistance can only go so far in encouraging farmers to adopt regenerative practices.

Read more on farmer-led conservation initiatives here.