New partnership unleashes carbon economy benefits

• Generates revenue from farm carbon

• Uses a simple-to-understand system

• Flexible approach has many options

Farmers can maximise opportunities from the carbon economy thanks to a new bespoke focus launched by Agrii and carbon farming innovators Agreena.

The partnership helps producers understand carbon farming better while building a revenue stream from the implementation of low carbon practices, says Agrii sustainability and environmental services manager Amy Watkins.

“We have been looking at how we can really make the carbon economy work for our customers for some time now and have carried out in-depth analysis of what people want to achieve from this exciting new area and the options open to them.

“Fundamentally, we did not just want to provide a service already offered by others but instead form a strategic partnership with a like-minded business that would allow us to develop a unique solution based on customer needs.

“After talking to various organisations, we decided Agreena best matched our requirements, not just because of their specialist knowledge in the area but also because they best align with our vision for agriculture and carbon.”

Generating income

Essentially, the new Agrii/Agreena carbon offer is designed to help farmers understand the potential value of their carbon, earn carbon credits from implementing low carbon systems and ultimately generate an income from these credits, says Ms Watkins.

“The idea is to offer a simple-to-understand system underpinned by a strong scientific background which offers competitive financial benefits to farmers in an exceptionally flexible package with several options as to how they can get started.

“The major benefit with the Agreena programme is there is no commitment required to get a simple estimation of your farm’s carbon value. Farmers can then decide their level of commitment after receiving an estimation.

“Looking at ‘what if’ scenarios using Agrena’s tools can also help with planning a farms crop rotation.

“So, for example, the scheme will reward practices such as minimising soil disturbance, putting cover crops in, improving the efficient use of fertilisers and optimising the management of soil residues.

“If you decide to go further than a simple estimation, carbon credits are issued to growers who adopt one or more of these regenerative practices.

“You decide what to do with the credits you earn – keep them to offset your farm’s own emissions, sell them to your own buyers, trade them alongside your crop, or have Agreena help you find the best price.”

For maximum flexibility the programme is stackable with the sustainable farming incentive (SFI), and also offers both insetting and offsetting options, she explains.

“In-setting is where companies invest in projects that are related to their products such as a miller rewarding for carbon friendly practices to grow their ingredients.

“Offsetting is when such investments are not related to the product as is the case if an airline were to buy them.

“The benefit of offering both options means that producers have an increased opportunity to sell the credits, as the number of buyers and demand increases.”

Achieving results

Headquartered in Copenhagen with an office in London, Agreena works with farmers across Europe to transition 4.5 million hectares of cropland across 20 European markets. It claims to be Europe’s largest soil carbon programme.

Agreena UK market lead Thomas Gent says the company shares Agrii’s farmer-centric focus. He sees the partnership delivering benefits above and beyond simple carbon trading.

“We work with third-party validation and verification bodies to ensure we align to the strictest market standards, and leverage advanced measurement and reporting capabilities to measure real impact from the ground up.

“We believe our farmers are the influencers, pioneers and enablers of a modern agriculture and our aim is to help farmers transition from conventional ways to more sustainable methods of production in whatever way is right for them in the long-run.

“This modern agriculture is a growing movement and there is significant need for the industry to work alongside farmers and support these market enablers.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with Agrii and see their knowledge-based and research-driven approach to improving the science of agricultural production complementing our equally forward-thinking aspirations.”