Carbon Farming project

Carbon farming is the process of changing agricultural practices to increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil, or to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock.

It has huge potential but is still underused in central Europe. The Carbon Farming – CE project wants to change this and make regions more familiar with the concept. The partnerhip adapts and tests various techniques and business models and develops a monitoring tool for transnational, standardised carbon sequestration.

Revolutionizing Agriculture and Combating Climate Change: Carbon Farming CE Project Releases Two Key Resources

The INTERREG CENTRAL EUROPE Carbon Farming CE project, a transnational initiative of nine participating countries and eleven project partners dedicated to addressing climate change and advancing agricultural sustainability, proudly presents two core outcomes: the training materials for farmers and the business model approach guide.

Carbon Farming CE Project Empowers Farmers

The release of newly developed training material for farmers signifies a great leap forward in the Carbon Farming CE project. This comprehensive resource is a testament to diligent transnational collaboration and direct engagement with farming communities. Crafted for farmers and in partnership with farmers, it empowers individuals with the knowledge and tools to embark on a journey towards sustainable agriculture.

At its core, this training material provides farmers with accessible resources on carbon farming, offering detailed descriptions of seven carbon farming techniques and twelve best practice examples. These insights have been thoughtfully curated through feedback gathered during national co-creation workshops.

More than a mere manual for implementation, this document sheds light on the profound impact of each technique on soil carbon levels. Carbon farming’s role in reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is essential in mitigating the effects of climate change. Furthermore, it underscores how carbon farming enhances soil health, a cornerstone of food security, and explores environmental and economic impacts while addressing potential barriers and challenges related to practical implementation.

A key highlight is the inclusion of twelve best practice examples. These real-world case studies document successful carbon farming experiments, showcasing techniques that have led to positive outcomes in terms of carbon sequestration, offering evidence of feasibility from a practical perspective.

Written in an accessible and reader-friendly language, this training material ensures farmers from diverse backgrounds can engage with the content effectively. For those seeking further exploration, comprehensive citations and references are provided, facilitating additional research opportunities.

The training material seamlessly aligns with the project’s overarching communication goals. It seeks to ignite farmer interest in carbon farming techniques and serve as a vital source of information on their ability to store CO2 in the soil. While initially in English, each participating country is committed to translating the document into its local language, ensuring widespread dissemination through agricultural channels, reaching farmers and agricultural advisors.

Carbon Farming CE Project Takes Strides Towards Sustainable Agriculture

The Carbon Farming CE project’s commitment to shaping the future of agriculture culminates with the release of the Carbon Farming Business Model Approach Guide. The innovative approach intends to upscale and disseminate carbon farming practices widely, positioning Central Europe at the forefront of sustainable agriculture.

The guide fosters the testing and validation of carbon farming cooperation models across nine Central European countries. It reaches out to a diverse array of stakeholders, including farmers, SMEs, NGOs, public institutions, decision-makers, and agricultural support institutions. It aims to catalyse a transformative shift in the behaviour of these stakeholders and facilitate the adoption of carbon farming cooperation models for carbon sequestration.

Implementing carbon sequestration techniques in land management holds the potential to reverse soil degradation, protect biodiversity, ensure food security, and significantly contribute to climate change mitigation. While scientific evidence underscores the effectiveness of carbon sequestration, its practical application remains limited. The next critical step involves the widespread scaling up and demonstration of these techniques.

The development and testing of carbon farming cooperation models provide a pioneering example and a wellspring of inspiration for future initiatives. By disseminating these models to diverse economic actors, governmental authorities, and consumers, awareness about the transformative potential of carbon farming in agrifood production processes is raised.

Both resources usher in a new era of sustainable agriculture that promises environmental protection, biodiversity preservation, food security, and substantial contributions to the fight against climate change.

For more information on the training material and the Carbon Farming CE project, check out our project website and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The marvellous city of Bled in Slovenia hosted the kick-off meeting of the CARBON FARMING project on 14 April 2023. Representatives of eleven consortium partners coming from nine countries have successfully launched this ambitious INTERREG CENTRAL EUROPE project that aims at bringing carbon farming on the fast-track to development, with a total funding of 1,8 million EUR from the European Regional Development Fund.

Examples on carbon farming techniques:

Carbon farming techniques should

A) add external C to the soil,
B) incorporate by plants through photosynthesis bound atmospheric CO2 to the soil,
C) avoid loss of C/CO2 from the soil
and thereby improve humus balance, decrease the greenhouse gas CO2 in the atmosphere, and increase C content in the soil.

Measures in detail – PDF file

Testing CF techniques No Gravity 2023 (PDF)