Rabo Carbon Bank, a subsidiary of the international financial services provider Rabobank, specializes in accelerating initiatives that produce sustainable food while also curbing and removing CO2 emissions from the air. And as such, it is currently launching its first pilot program for carbon sequestration and soil health in North America.
The group of participants in the program are farmers in three US states that are set to be compensated for using regenerative agricultural practices that aim to capture CO2 from the atmosphere and enrich their soils.
The program is facilitated by Rabo AgriFinance, another of Rabobank’s subsidiaries, as part of Rabo Carbon Bank’s global initiative to decarbonize the food supply chain and reduce carbon emissions in retail.
As emphasized by sustainability officer for Rabo AgriFinance, Cristian Barcan, the initiative helps farmers monetize the natural ability of the plants on their farms to capture CO2 from the air, while at the same time improving the quality of their fields with nutrient-dense, carbon-rich soils.
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Essentially, the end result is expected to see improved yields at lower costs and a significantly reduced impact on the environment.
Rabo Agrifinance will be working together with Continuum Ag – a leading advisor on all matters concerning soil health and carbon sequestration measurements. And with its help, the pilot program entails an individual approach to each separate farm participating in the pilot.
Rabo Carbon Bank to have a customized approach
As a result, tailored practices can be identified for each operation to maximize efficiency.
Said practices may include cover crop plantings, transitioning to natural fertilizer, reducing tillage, application of crop protection products and fertilizers, and others.
Pilot participants will receive compensation for their efforts based on the quantity of CO2 sequestered, which, in turn, will be monitored and measured by Continuum Ag’s analysis technology.
This will help achieve the goals of the program’s initial stage – to understand which practices promote the best soil health and capture the most carbon.
