How Agreena's Soil Programme is Scaling Regenerative Farming
Agreena’s soil carbon programme helps farmers access carbon finance to accelerate the global shift to regenerative agricultural practices like reducing emissions and isolating CO₂ in soil.
Initiatives like this is why independent assurance and risk management provider DNV is announcing the validation of Agreena’s pioneering soil carbon programme for the third year in a row.
DNV confirms that the GHG accounting approach used in Agreena's programme continues to meet the international accounting standard – proving GHG reductions and removals resulting from farmers adopting regenerative practices are authentic and traceable.
The emissions behind farming
Farming is often associated with looking after land and producing green, healthy produce, however this couldn't be further from the truth.
Farmers emit carbon dioxide through several agricultural activities:
- Tilling and soil disturbance: Plowing and other soil preparation methods accelerate the decomposition of organic matter in the soil, leading to increased CO₂ emissions
- Fuel consumption: The use of farm machinery, vehicles and equipment that run on fossil fuels contributes to CO₂ emissions
- Land use changes: Converting non-agricultural land, such as forests, into farmland releases stored CO₂
- Electricity usage: Farm operations that require electricity, such as robotic milking systems, contribute to indirect CO₂ emissions
- Fertiliser and input production: The manufacture of fertilisers and other agricultural inputs generate CO₂ emissions
- Crop residue management: Improper handling of crop residues can lead to increased CO₂ emissions
- Livestock-related activities: While not directly emitting CO₂, the production of animal feed and other livestock management practices contribute to overall GHG emissions
Whilst these activities contribute to CO₂ emissions, carbon dioxide only accounts for a small percentage (5-7%) of total agricultural GHG emissions compared to methane and nitrous oxide.
Agreena’s sustainable soil system
As Europe’s leading soil carbon programme, Agreena deploys advanced digital Measurement, Reporting and Verification (dMRV) capabilities to calculate the GHG impact of regenerative farming practices at field-level.
By collaborating with more than 2,3000 farmers across 4.5 million hectares in 20 countries, farmers can access carbon finance to accelerate the global shift to regenerative agriculture
Farmers can reduce their on-farm emissions and sequester carbon dioxide in their soil through the implementation of practices like:
- Reduced soil disturbance
- Use of cover crops – plants grown to cover bare soil whilst improving structure and health
- Use of organic fertilisers
- Optimal residue management.
Agreena’s pioneering soil carbon programme quantifies emission reductions and removals, generating finance for farmers through the sales of carbon credits, insets and data.
CEO of Agreena, Simon Haldrup comments: “Agreena is incredibly proud to have achieved verification from our highly respected assurance partner, DNV, for the third year running.
“DNV verification and compliance with the global standard ISO 14064-2 shows our clients how highly we value the integrity of our programme, and reassures our farmers that the impact of their efforts are fully recognised and valued.
"Agreena invests heavily in our dMRV capabilities for this very reason – it drives value and confidence in the soil carbon sector and will underpin the scaling of regenerative agriculture.”
About DNV
DNV is a global leader in assurance and risk management, operating in more than 100 countries and specialising in: maritime, oil and gas, energy, healthcare and food safety.
Geir Fuglerud, CEO, Supply Chain & Product Assurance at DNV explains: “Regenerative farming can play an important role in tackling greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net zero targets – but only if all stakeholders can be certain that the carbon impacts are accurately monitored and measured.
"DNV is delighted to support the transition towards regenerative agriculture through the validation and verification of Agreena’s robust programme, ensuring a win-win situation for farmers and companies accounting for GHG emission reductions and removals,”
DNV validates that Agreena’s methodology by acknowledging that it:
- Provides accurate reporting, eliminating the risk of double counting or inclusion of unsupported removals
- Measures emissions reduction/removal accurately
- Establishes stringent, transparent and repeatable monitoring procedures.
Agreena and DNV’s mission to safeguard life, property and the environment is already well understood and present.
The partnership is of particular value to companies seeking to support climate projects beyond their value chain and food and drink companies who are working to decarbonise their supply chains.
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