What is Carbon farming?

About Carbon Farming?

• Carbon farming (also known as carbon sequestration) is a system of agricultural management that helps the land store more carbon and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that it releases into the atmosphere.
• In other words, it is a whole farm approach to optimizing carbon capture on working landscapes by implementing practices that are known to improve the rate at which CO2 is removed from the atmosphere and stored in plant material and/or soil organic matter.
• Carbon farming explicitly recognizes that it is solar energy that drives farm ecosystem dynamics and that carbon is the carrier of that energy within the farm system. 
• Carbon farming is synonymous with the term ”regenerative agriculture” when that term is explicitly rooted in an understanding of the underlying system dynamics and positive feedback processes that actually make a “regenerative” upward spiral of soil fertility and farm productivity possible, as depicted in the figure below.

What are various Carbon farming practices?

• Carbon farming practices are management practices that are known to sequester carbon and/or reduce GHG emissions.
• All those practices that improve soil health and sequester carbon while producing important co-benefits, including: increased soil water holding capacity, hydrological function, biodiversity, and resilience are its example.
  • Alley cropping is the cultivation of food, forage or specialty crops between rows of trees. It is a larger version of intercropping.
  • No-till farming is an agricultural technique for growing crops or pasture without disturbing the soil through tillage.
  • Riparian-zone restoration is the ecological restoration of riparian-zone habitats of streams, rivers, springs, lakes, floodplains etc.
  • Silvopasture is the deliberate integration of trees and grazing livestock operations on the same land.
  • Integrated crop-livestock system is a form of mixed production that utilizes crops and livestock in a way that they can complement one another.
  • Mulching - covering the soil with mulches, such as bark, wood chips, leaves, and other organic material, in order to preserve moisture and improve the condition of the soil.

What are various merits of Carbon farming?

• Restore of landscapes and upgradation of natural asset capital – it shields against soil erosion while simultaneously enhancing soil structure, improving nutrient absorption, and optimising water retention.
• Climate adaptation and meeting of greenhouse gas reduction targets – By improving soil structure and management practices, carbon farming enhances a farm’s ability to withstand challenges such as strong winds and soil erosion. Certain agroforestry designs act as natural barriers to adverse weather conditions, fostering a microclimate that supports crop growth. Through carbon farming, farmers can adapt to climate change while safeguarding their agricultural operations.
• Improving agricultural resilience and productivity through farm-based forestry- By adopting efficient practices and minimising resource consumption, such as fertilisers and fuel, farmers can maximise output without unnecessary waste. Effective farm management, particularly in water usage, allows for strategic allocation of resources, resulting in improved yields and enhanced productivity.
• Diversification of income and generation of new revenue streams - additional income through the sale of carbon credits thereby contributing to their financial well-being.

What are the associated challenges?

• It becomes challenging in hot and dry areas where the availability of water is limited, and prioritised for drinking and washing needs. Limited water availability can hinder the growth of plants, thus restricting the potential for sequestration through photosynthesis.
• Small-scale farmers may lack the resources to invest in sustainable land management practices and environmental services.
• Lack of skills and management abilities further affects their implementation.
• Lack of awareness - many farmers don’t understand the exact meaning of carbon farming, and they lack detailed information about the pros and cons of carbon farming.
• Difficulty in monitoring the progress of such initiatives.
• Uncertainty regarding carbon market selling practices

What steps have been taken by Government of India in this regard?

• National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) is a network
• project of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) aiming to enhance the resilience of Indian agriculture, covering crops, livestock and fisheries to climatic variability and climate change.
• The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) includes programmatic interventions like Soil Health Card, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, Mission Organic Value Chain Development for Northeastern Region, Rainfed Area Development, National Bamboo Mission and Sub-mission on Agro-Forestry.
• National Adaptation Fund for Climate Change (NAFCC) was established to meet the cost of adaptation to climate change for the State and Union Territories of India that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.
• Climate-smart village (CSV) is an institutional approach to test, implement, modify and promote CSA at the local level and to enhance farmers‟ abilities to adapt to climate change.
• Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojna (PMSKY) planned and formulated to give more priority on water conservation and its management in agriculture with the vision to extend the area under irrigation.
• Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojna (PKVY) with the objective of supporting and promoting organic farming through adoption of organic village by cluster approach, which in turn result in improvement of soil health.
• Biotech-KISAN:  scientist-farmer partnership for agriculture innovation with an objective to connect science laboratories with the farmers to find out innovative solutions and technologies to be applied at farm level.