storing about 25 per cent of the world's fossil fuel emissions

each year.

But intensive farming practises are having a detrimental effect

on nature's storage system.

Carbon farming, the process of sequestering carbon

in soil through sustainable farming methods,

improves the quality of soil giving it a greater capacity

to store more carbon.

The concept covers two key areas; the avoidance

of releasing further emissions.

For example, by reducing or replacing

the use of fertilisers or by keeping soils

covered year round preventing soil oxidation.

And the removal of existing CO2 by promoting

regenerative agricultural practises, such as reducing

tillage, using cover crops, and rotating crops in fields.

Some scientists are concerned that the data needed

to reinforce the benefits of carbon farming

is not yet available.

Currently, the only way to measure soil sequestration is

through soil sampling, which is expensive and labour intensive.

We expect technologies to improve,

and to emerge, and to be adopted by protocols,

ultimately lowering costs and increasing accuracy.

For businesses committing to reduce their carbon footprint,

supporting carbon farming and purchasing removed

carbon via verified carbon credit system

is one way to offset their own unavoidable emissions.

A carbon credit, the most commonly recognised unit,

equates to one tonne of removed or avoided CO2.

For farmers, the perceived benefits of carbon farming

need to outweigh any risks associated with transitioning

from intensive to regenerative farming,

such as a loss of income due to small yields in the short-term.

For carbon farming to accelerate,

we need to have a stable market where the buyer knows

the product and the farmer exactly

what to do to earn that credit and to create revenues.

A marketplace brings both parties together

and regulates the process.

With a greater commitment to trust, transparency,

and quality data, the demand for agricultural and other carbon

offsetting credits is expected to rise as much as 100 times

by 2050.

This will not only provide a welcome stream of income

for farmers, but over time, will improve

the biodiversity, fertility, yield, and carbon composition

of soil, leading to more CO2 being removed

from the atmosphere and helping to reach global net zero goals.