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Research on regenerative farming often focuses on its ability to improve soil structure, raise organic matter levels, foster biodiversity and build resilience to drought or waterlogging. A diversified yield can also reduce reliance on purchased fertilizers and pesticides and provide additional food and income. Nevertheless, such benefits are never guaranteed, and their presence and degree of manifestation strongly depend on the regional climatic and edaphic conditions, agricultural history of the plot, specific interventions undertaken and the time since their implementation. Farm-scale trials and observations may show different trends, and the overall efficacy of regenerative practices is difficult to generalize across different bioregions due to the high degree of variability of agricultural ecosystems.

The literature includes a number of articles assessing the risks and challenges of implementing regenerative methods. The necessary shift in agri-food systems requires farmers to acquire new competencies, invest in equipment and additional means of production, and adopt new crops and practices, which involves extra costs before reaping the rewards. In addition, for family farmers, the risk of land grabbing or speculation can outweigh the advantages of regenerative farming, particularly if long-term commitments are required before yields are stabilized. Finally, the success of such projects can critically depend on the support of extension services, credit institutions, government policies, and stable markets for multiple products.

However, the very concept of regenerative farming is controversial and understudied, with researchers proposing different definitions and outcome indicators. The focus of analysis varies significantly from papers emphasizing carbon sequestration potential and profit from higher yields to those stressing the importance of biodiversity and resilience, and measuring outcomes at different levels – from farm income and yields to broader agro-ecological outcomes. As such, the analysis of the pros and cons of regenerative farming requires further in-depth investigation to clarify the nuances of its impact on different elements of the agricultural ecosystem. The current state of research allows one to assess how the regenerative approach impacts small-scale farming, what factors could facilitate such an improvement and to what extent. Therefore, this review will concentrate on examining papers that analyze the benefits and drawbacks of regenerative approaches for the farm economy. This study will consider the relationship between ecological performance and economic resilience, analyzing how the two interact rather than postulating universal benefits from improved soil quality. The review will also highlight the controversies and contradictions in the research to provide a more balanced view of the advantages and disadvantages of regenerative farming.

Small-scale regenerative agriculture has received increasing recognition among farmers, researchers, and policy-makers in attempts to grow crops while at the same time rejuvenating the ecosystems that enable farming. As opposed to being a name for a particular technique, this phrase generally describes a set of agricultural practices that prioritize soil health, biodiversity, nutrients cycle, and reduction of dependency on external resources. Practices associated with regenerative agriculture include composting, cover crops planting, crop rotation, agroforestry, reduced tillage, and integration of livestock when necessary. The practices utilized on small farms will depend on such factors as limited land and funds, household labor force, local ecological knowledge, and market opportunities. Hence, in reviewing the literature, the researcher should consider not only regenerative farming practices but also their economic and social dimensions.

Regenerative farming is commonly described in terms of its ability to contribute to better soil structure, increased organic content, development of beneficial microflora, and resistance to drought and heavy rainfall. Regeneration might also make the farm more independent in terms of purchasing fertilizers and pesticides and generate extra food and income through diversification of crops. However, there is no guarantee that all of these benefits will be achieved in the same way or at all. Such results depend on the climate, soil composition, history of farm management, choice of regenerative practices, and duration of regeneration process. Information coming from research conducted on large farms or in controlled environments might not be applicable to the situation on small-scale farms with complex land and financial restrictions.

The reviewed literature identifies various challenges that might arise for regenerative agriculture. Change of practices requires learning of new skills, procurement of new equipment, additional labor force, or costs before any benefits will become apparent. Insecure land tenure may prevent farmers from making long-term investments. The capacity to maintain changes will also depend on extension programs, credit opportunities, policies, and buyers' willingness to accept different kinds of agricultural produce. The above-mentioned factors are especially relevant in case of small-scale agricultural systems where failure to obtain a harvest means significant damage for household livelihoods.

In addition, there are debates concerning definition of regeneration and its results. There is a variety of definitions and methods to measure effectiveness of practices applied (such as carbon content of soil, yields, biodiversity, profits, well-being of farmers). The claims about climate impact and productivity of regenerative agriculture thus have to be analyzed carefully. This review combines agronomic and socioeconomic literature in order to summarize existing information about small-scale regenerative agriculture, outline areas requiring further research, and identify promising contexts.