What is Carbon Farming?
The concept of carbon farming is hinged on a simple premise. When light from the sun is absorbed into the earth, it is stored in carbon deposits as a form of energy. This energy, which gets stored in the soil, is then used by living things to grow and thrive. Carbon farming recognizes that carbon stored in the earth plays a vital part in the health of agricultural ecosystems. By adopting practices that improve the rate at which carbon is captured by the soil and reduce the rate at which it escapes into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide, carbon farming is able to improve soil fertility and therefore the quality and quantity of its crops, while reducing the emissions that are usually affiliated with agricultural practices.
Source: FAOSTAT
How does it work?
As mentioned above, carbon farming is essentially any agricultural land based activity that makes use of natural carbon cycles to enrich soil and reduce agricultural based carbon emissions. An initiative in America called The Carbon Cycle Institute has developed a model framework for land management practices which emphasises carbon as a resource to be utilised. The techniques that support carbon recycling approaches allow for a better rate of carbon capture, increase the provision of important ecosystems (primarily water), build agricultural resilience and mitigate climate change.
There are a wide number of ways in which carbon farming techniques can be adopted on a particular farming operation. Alley cropping, for instance, is the practice of planting primary crops in the spaces between large woody plants, which among other benefits, adds organic carbon into the soil. Incorporating these larger trees into the ecosystem also provides greater stability to the surrounding soil which reduces erosions and increases water infiltration.
Source: The Carbon Cycle Institute
Additionally, the nutrient content, recyclability and retention of the soil is enriched, ultimately leading to better crop health and yields. Having these taller trees flanking the primary crops also provides a natural enclosure, shielding the smaller and more vulnerable crops from weather and insect damage. Alley cropping is also feasible from a financial standpoint, as it provides a secondary crop in the form of timber, nut or fruit bearing trees, which can be sold during the times of the year when primary crops are not yet ready for harvesting.
One of the most popular forms of carbon farming is referred to as the no-till approach which, as the name indicates, refers to a method of land cultivation which, as far as possible, reduces the level of soil disturbance that takes place on a piece of land. The conventional tilling process is done to aerate the soil, incorporate manure and fertilisers, loosen the earth for future fragile seedling roots, destroy pests and eradicate weeds. The practice, however, greatly contributes to soil erosion, removes cover matter, causes an imbalance in micro communities, and releases carbon into the air. In order to be truly effective, no-till farming needs to incorporate a number of practices which compensate for the vulnerabilities created through opting away from tilling while preserving the benefits afforded from taking this approach.
Source: FAOSTAT
For instance, farmers have been known to use disc seeders or agricultural drills to make furrows in the earth, plant the seeds, then cover and firm them immediately. This approach also leads to reduction in fertiliser spending as here it is applied directly into the furrow using a tube. Planters may still need to till parts of the soil under certain conditions, for instance where high yields produce a lot of manure which brings about pest and disease. Another consideration comes in terms of weeding, whereby inter-rows are covered with straw, dry mulch or hay to prevent weeds from growing.
Another popular no-till method of farming comes in the form of crop rotation, whereby different types of crops are alternated on a particular piece of land intermittently in order to improve soil health and maximise long term soil productivity. Crop rotation brings a number of benefits which includes the reduction of weed and pest infestation, as different crops have varying weed and pest threats. It also prevents soil erosion due to the fact that different crops have different root structures. Legumes are commonly used in crop rotation practices as they release nitrogen in levels which are beneficial to soil health.
Managed grazing is another means of creating regenerative agricultural ecosystems on farmlands which employ livestock and ruminant animals on their property. Here, livestock is guided through multiple grazing grounds in a timed manner in order to keep grazing periods at an optimal duration, at which it becomes beneficial to the localised soil. Through this approach, these livestock are able to produce a higher permanent soil cover of litter and plants, which reduces soil erosion and increases the net biophysical carbon accumulation, doing so in a controlled manner which avoids any excesses that could damage the soil.
This mindful and coordinated utilization of livestock elevates soil organic carbon and improves the soil ecological functions while at the same time reducing production costs by removing the need for tilling, inorganic fertilisers and biocides. Regenerative approaches such as these improve a wide range of bio-ecological concerns which includes soil stabilisation and formation, water infiltration, carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling and availability, as well as promoting biodiversity and wildlife habitat preservation, which ultimately contributes to the resilience of such systems.
Quite apart from those mentioned above, there are various other means by which carbon farming and regenerative farming can be achieved on croplands to reduce the overall carbon footprint that has been attributed to agricultural practices. While these methods may include an initial cost to farmers and planters aiming to make the transition, the long term benefits include better crop health, which translates into a better quality product, and reduced costs on areas such as fertiliser and pesticides.
The drawbacks
While carbon farming offers many of the benefits mentioned above, there are those that claim that the difference in yields between a till and no-till approach can be substantial, with some sources citing a gulf of up to 29%. However emerging research seems to point to the fact that this is by no means a conclusive outcome as yield amounts depend on a large number of factors and will vary depending on the particular conditions and operations of each agricultural operation.
Still, there are other issues that are worth considering, such as the acquisition of skills and knowledge that farmers would need to acquire in order to successfully make the transition. In addition to this, the transition period could be a potentially lengthy and unpredictable one, bringing about risks of its own which farmers will have to manage. Then there is the issue of unwanted plant life growing alongside crops which have, in some instances, driven farmers to resort to an increased use of herbicides.
Source: FAOSTAT
Where to go from here?
While the primary driving factor for incorporating regenerative farming practices on agricultural lands has been the pressing need to reduce planetary carbon emissions wherever possible, the attraction for land owners and planters does not need to be an entirely altruistic one’s. As mentioned, well planned regenerative farming practices can reduce operational costs and so applying these practices at scale can lead to major cost savings on some agricultural operations.
Furthermore, the cultivation of high quality produce means that farmers can charge a premium on their goods by acquiring the appropriate certification, enabling them to ask for better market rates. The introduction of regulated carbon markets into the mix then affords a further avenue for profitability by allowing land owners to sell the carbon captured on their soil to companies looking to offset their emissions numbers.
While regenerative farming affords the aforementioned benefits, it is by no means a guaranteed system of agricultural cultivation and profitability. Regenerative approaches need to be applied with a great deal of care and precision, with choices largely depending on the unique environmental conditions of each piece of land and requiring no small amount of patience, skill and practice to master. In adopting these approaches, farmers may find themselves facing challenges they would otherwise be insulated from by pumping out conventionally farmed fruits, nuts and vegetables.
However, in a world that is increasingly becoming aware of its own interconnectedness and the importance of coordinating efforts across businesses and industries, the attraction of practices that positively affect climate change, improve the quality of food and potentially increase profitability in the long term seems like it would be a difficult one to ignore. With increased awareness, better support from government institutions and regulatory bodies and a greater level of knowledge and skill sharing among industry players, carbon farming could likely replace conventional farming approaches and lead us toward a better future for the agricultural industry and the planet in the years to come.
