Carbon Farming Research Articles

Limits to the ability of carbon farming projects to deliver benefits for threatened species.

Australia has proposed a legislated market for biodiversity based on an existing carbon credits scheme which generates Australian carbon credit units (ACCU) from land-based projects. This provides a unique opportunity to assess the potential for markets to benefit biodiversity. We assessed the extent to which projects under the ACCU scheme overlap potential threatened species habitat, compared that to overlap afforded by protected areas, and compared the ability of different project types to deliver potential benefits to species most impacted by habitat loss. Projects are primarily located in low-cost, marginal arid lands, a pattern that reflects that of the protected area estate. Projects are smaller and fewer in number in more productive lands close to human populations. These lands also overlap most threatened species habitat, hence those species most in need of habitat restoration are the least likely to have their habitat restored under the ACCU scheme. Projects, however, do overlap the geographic range of 32% of the 1,660 threatened species assessed, including for 275 species with <17% of their range in protected areas. Biodiversity markets must incentivize actions in areas of high biodiversity value underpinned by regulations that align with national priorities for biodiversity conservation.

Rice Production and Nitrogen Use Efficiency by Diverse Forms of Fertilization in Rice-Based Crop Rotation Systems

The rising demand for climate change mitigation has brought attention to agricultural systems focused on carbon farming and reducing emissions. Composting food wastes and livestock manure not only mitigates environmental concerns but also boosts soil fertility and crop yields as an alternative fertilizer. In this experiment, we investigated the effects of different fertilizer types (chemical and organic waste compost) and crop rotations (rice–fallow, rice–Italian ryegrass, and rice–potato) on rice production, nitrogen use efficiency, and soil carbon stocks. In this experiment, soil carbon and nitrogen retention were more influenced by compost nutrient levels than by crop rotation types. Overall, as the nitrogen levels increased, the rice yields improved with both chemical and organic waste fertilizers. Among the crop rotations, the rice–Italian ryegrass rotation showed a higher nitrogen use efficiency. Optimal fertility levels, balancing nitrogen use efficiency, yield, and soil carbon were observed between 523 and 582 kg N ha−1 when combined with specific crop rotations. Moreover, soil total carbon and soil total nitrogen varied among crop rotation systems. Our results indicate that organic waste compost can be a potential alternative to chemical fertilizers, while crop rotations offer a viable approach for maximizing the environmental benefits.

Low-carbon agricultural technologies improve forage and feed production in the Caatinga biome, Brazil: Characteristics, comparison, effects of climate change, resilience, local development, and food security

Adjustments in Brazilian livestock are necessary to minimize greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, since the largest source of methane comes from ruminants’ enteric fermentation, and of carbon from deforestation. Low-carbon agriculture technologies (LCAT) contribute to mitigating these emissions and this study evaluates the role of these technologies on ruminant forage production in Caatinga. A Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threats analysis was used to elucidate the main features, followed by an Analytic Hierarchical Process, ranking the LCAT, and a risk analysis. Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forest System (ICLFS) is the most recommended technology, followed by Sustainable Forest Management (SFM) and Recovery of Degraded Areas with Pastures (RDA-P). The results can aid in the choice of the LCAT to be implemented by the smallholder in Caatinga, demonstrating the need to strengthen rural technical assistance, so that there is a real benefit to the producer and the environment.

Soil organic carbon stocks as driven by land use in Mato Grosso State: the Brazilian Cerrado agricultural frontier

To address national and global demand for agro-based products, agricultural expansion has rapidly become a norm in Brazil since 1950s to date. In recent decades, agricultural expansion and technological advancement have placed the country among the top producers and exporters of agricultural products. The paradigm shifts in farming system from conventional to integrated approach has brought significant changes in land use, which consequently influenced carbon sequestration and soil organic carbon (SOC). This is more prevalent in the State of Mato Grosso, one of the most producers of food in Brazil. On this background, we hypothesized that though forests have potential for SOC stock, which decreases due to conversion to cropland but in longer-term with sustainable management, carbon might accrual significantly in cropland. Therefore, this paper aimed to unveil the nexus between long term land use and carbon stock changes and estimate future SOC stocks in Mato Grosso State of Brazil. To achieve this aim, a hybridization of machine learning and the InVEST prediction models was applied to estimate the land use changes and the SOC stocks between 1990 and 2020 and estimate for 2050. The study revealed that between 1990, 2020, and 2050, croplands increased significantly by at least 78%, pastures decreased by 32%, while forests decreased marginally by about 4% due to agricultural expansions. However, in 1990 and 2020, the SOC stock was slightly up to 147.34 Mg ha−1, it recorded an increase after a longer-time (i.e., in 2050). This increase was substantially under the forests, and marginally in the croplands. Climate-smart agricultural systems such as crop-livestock forest, integrated crop-livestock, and other conservation agricultural practices have great potential to contribute to sustainable development by increasing the levels of carbon in agricultural soils especially, after a longer period. Therefore, agricultural policies geared towards low carbon agriculture should be fully integrated into the various government decision making processes as this will guarantee food security and maximize soil carbon sequestration and stocks in the long term. Simultaneously, it is crucial to promote the dissemination of best practices for implementing and sustaining conservation efforts, thereby safeguarding the carbon stocks established to prevent their depletion. This will also support the Brazilian government in achieving its Nationally determined contributions (NDCs) through agricultural soils.

Seeds of change: A bibliometric study on sustainable technologies and business strategies in agriculture

The transition to sustainable agricultural practices is critical in the face of escalating climate challenges. Despite significant advances, the integration of green technologies within agribusiness remains underexplored. This study undertakes a comprehensive bibliometric analysis, utilizing data from the Web of Science Core Collection (1990–2023), to elucidate the integration of green technologies within agribusiness strategies. The research highlights key trends, influential authors, prominent journals, and significant thematic clusters, including biogas, biochar, biotech remediation, sustainable agriculture transition, low-carbon agriculture, and green strategies. By employing R, Bibliometrix, and VOSviewer, the study provides a nuanced understanding of the research landscape, emphasizing the critical role of strategic planning, policy frameworks, technological innovation, and interdisciplinary approaches in promoting sustainable agricultural development. The findings underscore the growing scholarly interest in sustainable practices, driven by global initiatives such as the UN’s 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement. This study contributes to the literature by offering qualitative insights and policy implications, highlighting the necessity for a holistic integration of green technologies to enhance the environmental and economic viability of agribusinesses.

Correction: Sharma et al. Carbon Farming: Prospects and Challenges. Sustainability 2021, 13, 11122

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‘Carbon farming’: what are the challenges for sugar beet and sugarcane growers?

‘Carbon farming’: what are the challenges for sugar beet and sugarcane growers?

Examining the role of national governance capacity in building the global low-carbon agricultural supply chains

The majority of related research has traditionally focused on examining the individual influences of national governance capacity and technological innovation on carbon emissions and economic performance, neglecting the effects and influence mechanisms on carbon efficiency within agricultural supply chains, which is not conducive to advancing a low-carbon transition that includes agricultural concerns. This study addresses these gaps by investigating the correlation between national governance capacity (considering voice and accountability, political stability and absence of violence/terrorism, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law and corruption control) and agricultural supply chain carbon efficiency and investigating the influence mechanism and mediating role of technological innovation. The relevant findings are twofold. 1) The impact of national governance capacity and its components on agricultural carbon efficiency follows an inverted U-shaped curve. 2) Technological innovation can act as a mediator between national governance capacity and select factors of voice and accountability, government effectiveness and regulatory quality to enhance agricultural supply chain carbon efficiency. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and managers in agricultural supply chain enterprises seeking to transition towards low-carbon agriculture.

Carbon farming in India: are the existing projects inclusive, additional, and permanent?

ABSTRACT As voluntary carbon markets gain popularity, carbon farming emerges as a win-win strategy to mitigate climate change and improve farmers’ income in developing countries. India, with over 50 active carbon farming projects and an impending domestic carbon market, forms an ideal case to explore the early-stage challenges of these initiatives. Using survey data from 841 farmers from seven carbon farming project villages in Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, this study focused on socio-economic inclusion and adherence to additionality and permanence principles, which are underexplored in the existing literature. We found that carbon farmers were predominantly large-holders and from non-marginalized castes, showing patterns of systematic exclusion. Only 4% of participants were women. Around 99% of farmers had not received any monetary benefit. While certain agricultural practices predated carbon projects, raising concerns about additionality, practices like no-tillage, alternate wetting and drying, intercropping, reduced chemical fertilizers, micro-irrigation, and tree planting aligned with additionality principles. Nonetheless, a high disadoption rate (28%) raises concerns about the permanence of emissions reduction. Our findings also indicated that companies that exclusively focus on carbon credits, termed ‘Carbon Core’ companies in this study, were more efficient in spreading regenerative agricultural practices than subsidiaries or offshoots of larger corporations whose primary businesses are unrelated to carbon credits.

Navigating the complex policy landscape for carbon farming in The Netherlands and the EU

Background The EU carbon removal and carbon farming (CRCF) framework sets the quality requirements for voluntary greenhouse gas certification schemes for i) permanent removal, ii) temporary carbon storage in long-lasting products, iii) temporary carbon storage from carbon farming, and iv) soil emission reduction. The next step is to develop “tailored certification methodologies for different types of carbon removal activities.” Via CRCF compliant certification schemes, certificates can be issued and sold to generate extra funding for carbon farming via voluntary carbon markets or other (future) performance-based incentive schemes (e.g., Agri sector Emissions Trading Scheme). Method We provide a qualitative assessment of the complex landscape of carbon farming incentive schemes and their associated monitoring, reporting, verification, and certification (MRV-C) frameworks. To illustrate these complexities, we take the farmers’ perspective of a Dutch dairy farmer that wants to implement different carbon farming activities (i.e., a portfolio), while aiming to secure a decent farm-level income. We discuss the farmers’ challenge by analyzing different options and routes for the financial valorization for several carbon farming activities. Results We find that the incremental MRV-C and incentive schemes, like the EU CRCF and potential agri-ETS are likely to add to the existing administrative burden for (carbon) farmers in the EU. Proper alignment, integration and standardization of the EU CRCF with existing MRV-C infrastructure(s) is needed to limit the administrative burden and transaction costs. Also, there is a need to provide better ex-ante clarity to (carbon) farmers and investors on the complementarity of incentive schemes from different policy domains (e.g., agriculture, climate, energy, bioeconomy). Conclusion We argue that the complexity of the MRV-C and incentives landscape ads to the administrative burden and flag this a potential source of inertia for investments in carbon farming. We conclude with recommendations to simplify and streamline the policy mix and MRV-C processes.

Response Mechanism and Evolution Trend of Carbon Effect in the Farmland Ecosystem of the Middle and Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River

The farmland system in the global terrestrial ecosystem has dual attributes as both a carbon source and a carbon sink, playing a crucial role in controlling carbon emissions and mitigating global warming. Using carbon source and sink accounting of farmland ecosystems, we applied methods such as standard deviation ellipse, Tapio decoupling theory, and Markov chain to analyze the spatiotemporal changes, response mechanisms, and evolutionary trends of regional carbon effects. The results indicated that from 2011 to 2021, the farmland ecosystem in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River consistently acted as a carbon sink. However, the net carbon sink showed slight fluctuations and significant spatial differences. The migration range of the net carbon sink center in the farmland ecosystem of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River was relatively small, ranging from 115.52 to 115.77° E and 30.14 to 30.27° N. The decomposition of the Tapio decoupling index between the net carbon sink of the farmland ecosystem and agricultural output value showed the order of effects on their coupling relationship as follows: agricultural mechanization level &gt; agricultural mechanization efficiency &gt; agricultural output value &gt; planting scale. The probability of maintaining the original state of net carbon sink in various cities in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (over 77%) was much higher than the probability of transfer, making it difficult to achieve a leapfrog growth in net carbon sink. The net carbon sink at the city scale exhibits the Matthew effect and spatial spillover effect. The above research results clarify the spatiotemporal changes in carbon effects in agricultural production at multiple levels, including city, province, and region. They also provide a theoretical basis for formulating differentiated regional emission reduction and sink enhancement strategies in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, promoting the rapid development of low-carbon agriculture in China.

Exploration of the optimal low-carbon peanut rotation system in South China

CONTEXTPeanut is an important economic and oil crop that has the potential to contribute to low-carbon agriculture. However, there is scarcity of comprehensive evaluations regarding the impact of various peanut rotation systems and their contribution to low-carbon agriculture. OBJECTIVEThe research aims to comprehensively evaluate the contribution of peanut rotation systems to low-carbon agriculture in South China, and expected to explore the optimal low-carbon peanut rotation system in this area. METHODSThree cropping patterns were compared over a four-year experimental period: wheat–peanut (W-P) rotation, rape–peanut (R-P) rotation, and peanut monocropping (MP), under two types of initial fields (paddy and dryland). The carbon footprint (CF), product carbon footprint (PCF), carbon sequestration, food carbon cost (FCC), soil carbon characteristics, net economic benefit, and ecosystem service values of C sequestration of three rotation ecosystems were studied. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSOur findings reveal that R-P, WP, and MP had total CFs of 1.788, 3.882, and 1.096 t CO2-eq·hm−2, respectively. Agricultural material input, particularly N fertilizer, was the primary CF contributor. R-P had higher carbon sequestration amount and efficiency than WP. Notably, dryland-initial fields of both R-P and WP had higher carbon sequestration efficiency (71.1 % and 17.6 % higher, specifically). Our soil carbon analysis indicates that both plant residue quality and initial field type influence C sequestration. While WP had the highest PCF (0.552 t CO2-eq t−1) and FCC of protein (3.428 kg CO2-eq·kg−1), fat (3.791 kg CO2-eq·kg−1), and energy (0.135 kg CO2-eq·1000 kcal−1), R-P showed the highest net income (3333.3 US$·hm−2) and higher ecosystem service value of C sequestration (−5.6 US$·hm−2). Furthermore, our findings reveal that common crop rotations in South China have higher CFs than the tested peanut-based systems. Therefore, R-P rotation is the most suitable system for low-carbon agriculture in the research area among these three rotations due to its lower carbon cost and higher economic benefits. And the advantages, disadvantages and uncertainties of different low-carbon agricultural indicators have also been analyzed. SIGNIFICANCEOur study would contribute to exploring agroecosystems management ways and methods to mitigation climate change and provide references for the establishment of evaluation criteria for low-carbon agriculture.

The Coupling Coordination Relationship between Green Low-Carbon Agriculture and Socio-Economic Systems: Based on the Empirical Analysis of 31 Provinces in China

The Coupling Coordination Relationship between Green Low-Carbon Agriculture and Socio-Economic Systems: Based on the Empirical Analysis of 31 Provinces in China

A case study on enhancing dairy cattle sustainability: The impact of silvopastoral systems and improved pastures on milk carbon footprint and farm economics in Cauca department, Colombia

A case study on enhancing dairy cattle sustainability: The impact of silvopastoral systems and improved pastures on milk carbon footprint and farm economics in Cauca department, Colombia

Theoretical Approaches for Evaluating the Environmental and Economic Effectiveness of Carbon Farms under the Carbon Tax Mechanism

The introduction of the "carbon tax" in cross-border operations worldwide and its imminent payment obligation for Russian exporting companies are being examined. A carbon farm is presented as a tool for reducing the carbon footprint. Three different methods for calculating the net benefits of carbon footprint reduction are evaluated, accompanied by formulas for formalizing the resulting economic impact. Sixteen typical dump sites are examined in relation to their economic net benefit and three promising locations are identified. The analysis findings may serve in formulating and executing an ESG strategy aligned with sustainable development in the business sector.

Carbon Farming of Main Staple Crops: A Systematic Review of Carbon Sequestration Potential

Carbon farming has become increasingly popular as it integrates agriculture, forestry, and diverse land use practices, all crucial for implementing European strategies aimed at capturing 310 million tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. These farming methods were proven to reliably increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil. However, there is a lack of discussion and consensus regarding the standards used to report these values and their implications. This article analyzes carbon sequestration rates, calculation methodologies, and communication procedures, as well as potential co-benefits and best practices. The average carbon sequestration rates in major staple crops range from very low values (0–0.5 Mg/ha/yr) to medium values (1–5 Mg/ha/yr). Scientific agricultural experiments in key global staple crops demonstrate positive rates of 4.96 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 in wheat–maize rotations and 0.52–0.69 Mg C ha−1 yr−1 in rice–wheat rotations. In agriculture, carbon sequestration rates are reported using different terms that are not consistent and pose communication challenges. This assessment involves a systematic review of the scientific literature, including articles, reviews, book chapters, and conference papers indexed in Scopus from 2001 to 2022. Specifically, this review focuses on long-term experiments, meta-analyses, and reviews that report an increase in soil carbon stock. The research trends observed, through a VOSviewer 1.6.18 analysis, show a steadily increasing interest in the field of carbon sequestration.

Development of Ecological Low-Carbon Agriculture with Chinese Characteristics in the New Era: Features, Practical Issues, and Pathways

Agriculture is not only the source of carbon emissions, but also an important carbon sink. The development of low-carbon agriculture in China is closely related to achieving the national strategic goal of “dual carbon.” Reducing carbon emissions in China’s agricultural sector and accelerating the development of ecological low-carbon agriculture (ELA) are extremely important and urgent, both from the perspective of the long-term common welfare for mankind and from the perspective of maintaining the sustainable development of agriculture itself. However, ELA is still an emerging concept in China, and its connotation and characteristics are not yet clear. There is a lack of effective paths for orderly and scientific promotion of the development of ELA in China. Based on this, this paper focuses on the emerging concept of ELA and examines ELA with Chinese characteristics from the dimensions of connotation, features, practical issues, and pathways, aiming to provide guidance for the sustainable development of ELA in China. The research results indicate that there are regional development imbalances, low willingness of farmers to participate, insufficient technological reserves, and difficulties in realizing the value of ecological products in China’s ELA. It is necessary to improve the modern agricultural production and operation system, tap into the potential of agricultural emission reduction and carbon sequestration, build a technical system to support the development of ELA, and establish a sound mechanism for realizing the value of ecological products. By continuously improving the regional organizational capacity and performance of ELA, accelerating the advancement of ELA technology and demonstrating its regional promotion, and by establishing and continuously improving the support system for ELA, one can promote the sustainable development of ELA in China. In addition, the research findings of this paper can also provide reference for the ecological low-carbon development of the global agricultural sector, supporting the contribution of the agricultural sector to achieving high-quality global sustainable development goals.

Are farmers willing to pay for low-carbon agriculture? Evidence from China

PurposeReducing carbon emissions in agriculture is vital for fostering sustainable agricultural growth and promoting ecological well-being in rural areas. The adoption of Low-Carbon Agriculture (LCA) by farmers holds great potential to accomplish substantial reductions in carbon emissions. The purpose of this study is to explore the farmers' preference and willingness to engage in LCA.Design/methodology/approachThis study employs the Choice Experiment (CE) method to examine farmers' preferences and willingness to adopt LCA, using field survey data of 544 rural farmers in the Weihe River Basin between June and July 2023. We further investigate differences in willingness to pay (WTP) and personal characteristics among different farmer categories.FindingsThe empirical results reveal that farmers prioritize government-led initiatives providing pertinent technical training as a key aspect of the LCA program. Farmers' decisions to participate in LCA are influenced by factors including age, gender, education and the proportion of farm income in household income, with their evaluations further shaped by subjective attitudes and habits. Notably, we discovered that nearly half of the farmers exhibit indifference towards LCA attributes.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to investigate farmers' attitudes toward LCA from their own perspectives and to analyze the factors influencing them from both subjective and objective standpoints. This study presents a fresh perspective for advocating LCA, bolstering rural ecology and nurturing sustainable development in developing nations.

Efficiency and Driving Factors of Agricultural Carbon Emissions: A Study in Chinese State Farms

Promoting low-carbon agriculture is vital for climate action and food security. State farms serve as crucial agricultural production bases in China and are essential in reducing China’s carbon emissions and boosting emission efficiency. This study calculates the carbon emissions of state farms across 29 Chinese provinces using the IPCC method from 2010 to 2022. It also evaluates emission efficiency with the Super-Slack-Based Measure (Super-SBM model) and analyzes influencing factors using the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) method. The findings suggest that the three largest carbon sources are rice planting, chemical fertilizers, and land tillage. Secondly, agricultural carbon emissions in state farms initially surge, stabilize with fluctuations, and ultimately decline, with higher emissions observed in northern and eastern China. Thirdly, the rise of agricultural carbon emission efficiency is driven primarily by technological progress. Lastly, economic development and industry structure promote agricultural carbon emissions, while production efficiency and labor scale reduce them. To reduce carbon emissions from state farms in China and improve agricultural carbon emission efficiency, the following measures can be taken: (1) Improve agricultural production efficiency and reduce carbon emissions in all links; (2) Optimize the agricultural industrial structure and promote the coordinated development of agriculture; (3) Reduce the agricultural labor scale and promote the specialization, professionalization, and high-quality development of agricultural labor; (4) Accelerate agricultural green technology innovation and guide the green transformation of state farms. This study enriches the theoretical foundation of low-carbon agriculture and develops a framework for assessing carbon emissions in Chinese state farms, offering guidance for future research and policy development in sustainable agriculture.

Labile not stable SOC fractions constitute the manageable drivers of soil health advances in carbon farming

The assessment of soil health and the determination of carbon stability in soils are current challenges that have gained momentum through initiatives at national as well as international scales. However, inferring universally valid soil health parameters that are directly linked to carbon permanence remains challenging. Our aim was to evaluate the potential of simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) for an improved monitoring of soil health advances in the context of carbon farming strategies. For this purpose, an on-farm comparison of soil health in ten conservation agricultural systems with adjacent conventional farms was performed based on STA and thermal measures were related to key biological and physical indicators for monitoring soil functions. Using an autocorrelation-based approach, we identified independent thermal indicators, revealing that carbon farming efforts predominantly increased labile soil organic matter fractions in the range of 300–400 °C, while thermally more recalcitrant fractions did not respond to farming system transformation. Similarly, most soil health indicators revealed highest correlation with temperature ranges of mass loss of labile organic matter fractions. The relation of STA with commonly used soil health indicators was highest for soil organic carbon (SOC, r=0.971) and total nitrogen (TN, r=0.981). However, also inference on microbial activity parameters such as dimethylsulfoxid reduction, microbial biomass carbon and substrate-induced respiration could be demonstrated with r>0.663. The results thus highlight key temperature ranges of organic matter stability for future soil monitoring tasks of climate change mitigation potentials of carbon farming and related advances in soil health.