COVERE² in the 2ⁿᵈ European Carbon Farming Summit

brought together information on carbon farming, which is a set of agricultural practices that increase carbon sequestration in soil and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a farm level. Carbon farming methods include practices on soil management, agroforestry, livestock management and wetland restoration. Carbon farming brings also other environmental benefits, among them improved soil health and biodiversity contributing to a more sustainable agriculture. The meeting also addressed the below-ground biodiversity. 

Life cycle assessment-based methods can be utilized to assess soil carbon changes and carbon footprint of the agri-food products. Farmers and food companies can benefit the results in their own value chain. Alternatively, the results can be utilized in the voluntary carbon market as carbon credits. However, it should be considered that the comparison of the carbon sequestration and emission reductions are made to business-as-usual scenario. Thus, additional carbon benefits are needed. Among the challenges are high monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) costs, low price of the voluntary carbon credits and that the methods are not yet consistent.  

Carbon farming presents new economic opportunities for farmers by focusing on profitability through carbon sequestration potential and co-benefits. Key to widespread adoption is understanding farmer motivations and overcoming value chain barriers. Drivers may include, in addition to direct economic drivers, improvement of soil health and resilience, as well as reduced use of agrochemicals. Private sector involvement has created a new ecosystem of service providers, but farmers often lack clear answers on earnings. Effective carbon farming requires clear business models and guidelines for carbon and co-benefits, such as biodiversity, valuation to drive changes among farmers. The impact of the on farm business models and challenges across Europe should further be discussed. 

COVERE² survey: Small farms show interest in exploring the carbon credit market   

A recent survey conducted by COVERE² group highlighted significant farmer interest in carbon credit systems, though many lack clarity on practical implementation and benefits, particularly for small farms.  Key concerns included transparency, fair pricing, and avoiding greenwashing. Notably, 70% of the 104 respondents felt current incentives were insufficient for transitioning to sustainable practices. Farmers emphasized the importance of peer-to-peer learning and simplified processes. Additionally, pricing strategies for advisory services need to be sensitive to the financial constraints of small farms, with many preferring low-cost options. The majority of respondents were from Spain, followed by Ukraine, Finland and UK. 

Promoting carbon farming through the CAP 

Key messages from emeritus professor Alan Matthews were to ensure that infrastructure can be built upon to minimize the administrative burden for farmers to comply with the sustainability requirements. There may be scope for public funding to cover MRV costs to stimulate carbon credit market. Questions remain about potential double funding where CAP supports actions that may generate credits on the private market.  

Sustainability Requirements  

A crucial aspect of the summit was the discussion on minimum requirements to ensure carbon farming delivers broad sustainability benefits. Hugh McDonald from Ecologic, along with Aron Scheidt and Julia Pazmino, organized a session focusing on this issue. Their presentation highlighted that carbon farming impacts numerous societal objectives beyond climate mitigation, including biodiversity, water quality, and soil health. They stressed the necessity for carbon farming certification to promote sustainability, addressing multiple challenges and maximizing benefits for diverse stakeholders.