Carbon farming and carbon credits
Agricultural practices must change with the growing impact of the climate crisis and global warming. This article explores how carbon farming and carbon credits support regenerative farming, while reducing emissions and implementing sustainable practices for our industry.
The climate crisis and farming
Global warming and rising carbon emissions have real world impacts on the natural landscape and biodiversity, as well as causing food scarcity and damaging our global economy. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) continues to warn us about the ways we must adapt to reduce impact, highlighting the science and informing policymakers of the best actions to take to reduce our emissions.
Whilst a change in policies and governmental action is key to changing our planet's future, there are changes that can be made on a local and agricultural level which will aid in carbon capture. Using carbon farming techniques and gaining carbon credits is a way for the agricultural industry to work more sustainably and decrease emissions to the atmosphere. This article explores carbon farming and its effect on the planet, as well as the benefits for farmers themselves by increasing yield and productivity at the local level.
What is carbon farming?
Carbon farming is an important approach to agriculture that seeks to improve carbon capture from the atmosphere and store it in healthy soils and organic matter. At betterSoil, we recognize that healthy soils not only boost productivity and yield but also act as carbon sinks, which can store emissions and help the planet by decreasing the rate of warming. Carbon farming is a form of regenerative agriculture, reversing soil degradation, encouraging biodiversity and maintaining balance in our soils.
The Carbon Cycle Institute (CCI) works towards a more sustainable future through championing methods of sequestering carbon emissions, while understanding the importance of productive agricultural practices for food security and economic growth. The CCI describes carbon farming as a “conservation practice” that benefits the planet and farmers. These benefits include:
- Increased soil water holding capacity
- Hydrological function
- Biodiversity
- Resilience
Carbon credits
Alongside carbon farming’s positive impacts on the planet and on agricultural yield through healthy soils, the carbon credit system exists to allow sustainable practitioners to benefit from being a part of climate solutions. The Carbon Registry describes carbon credits as: “tradable certificates, each representing a certain amount of carbon dioxide or equivalent gases from the reduction or removal of GHG emissions.” (2024, https://www.carbonregistry.com/blog/how-do-carbon-credits-work)
While carbon farming and more sustainable practices can have long-term benefits for a farmer’s yield, the carbon credit system further incentivizes rethinking outdated agricultural practices based on the highest yield in the short term. These carbon credits are usually bought on a voluntary basis by those who wish to implement more sustainable and regenerative practices for healthier soils and a healthier planet.
Conclusion
The climate crisis and global warming have catastrophic effects agriculturally, socially and economically. The move towards carbon farming and the procurement of carbon credits is a positive way in which our farming industries can contribute to lower emissions while maintaining their soil health and protecting yield in the long-term.
At betterSoil, our mission is to enhance soil fertility for farmers, protecting food security and the health of our planet. Through increased understanding of sustainable agricultural measures, we can help to reduce the impact of warming on the planet and make soil health management a pivotal part of agricultural practice.