Good Practice - Project
Advancing with agroforestry carbon credits in Belgium
Testing the potential of agroforestry as a commercial carbon storage business venture for Flemish farmers.
General information
RDP Priority
- P6. Social inclusion and local development
RDP Focus Area
- 6B: Local development
RDP Measure
- M16: Cooperation
Beneficiary type
- Non-governmental organisation
Summary
Farmers in Europe recognise the potential of carbon sequestration as a viable business diversification strategy. This is most successful when farms apply sufficient knowledge of carbon sequestration methods, soil health management and the regulatory frameworks governing carbon credits. Understanding these elements can better enable informed decisions that not only enhance farm productivity but also contribute positively to environmental sustainability.
A group of five Belgian farmers from the Flanders region expressed their interest in providing carbon storage as a new agroforestry commercial venture. Funding from the CAP helped farmers collaborate on: piloting agroforestry actions that informed a new advisory tool for the Treecological web platform; and estimating the potential for carbon storage in East Flanders through agroforestry systems. The new web platform advises farmers on how to optimise carbon storage through agroforestry and offers citizens or companies an opportunity to compensate their CO2 emissions by investing in these farms.
Results
- 10 ha of agroforestry were piloted across five farms, with 26 different tree species.
- 407 tonnes of CO2 were captured by pilot farm trees and soils during the project.
- 1 200 m of woodland boundaries (including hedges) were completed.
- The handbook content promotes carbon storage via agroforestry as a business model for farmers, including practical guidelines on effective agroforestry techniques and calculating carbon storage potential.
Promoter
BOS and Flanders region
Funding
Total budget 156 606 (EUR)
EAFRD: 49 135 (EUR)
National/Regional: 49 135 (EUR)
Private/own: 58 336 (EUR)
Context
As the urgency of climate change intensifies, more companies are looking to mitigate their CO2 emissions. One promising approach is through investment in carbon farming actions, which involve agricultural practices designed to sequester carbon in soil and vegetation. By participating in these initiatives, individuals and corporations can effectively offset their emissions while supporting sustainable land management practices.
Consequently, farmers in Europe are increasingly recognising the potential of carbon sequestration as a viable business diversification strategy. This is most successful when farms apply sufficient knowledge of carbon sequestration methods, soil health management and the regulatory frameworks governing carbon credits. Understanding these elements can better enable informed decisions that not only enhance farm productivity but also contribute positively to environmental sustainability.
Familiarity with carbon sequestration techniques, such as agroforestry, cover cropping, and conservation tillage, is crucial. These practices can significantly increase carbon storage in soils while improving biodiversity and resilience to climate impacts. Understanding soil health is also key for farmers, particularly the relationship between soil organic matter and carbon storage capacity. This knowledge can help adopt practices that enhance soil fertility while simultaneously sequestering more carbon over time.
Navigating fast-moving regulatory frameworks and market opportunities for trading carbon credits is another essential aspect of carbon farming ventures. By staying informed about government policies and potential partnerships with environmental organisations, farmers can maximise their economic benefits from diversifying into carbon farming.
Farmers in the East Flanders region of Belgium expressed their interest in providing carbon storage as a new agroforestry commercial venture. This agroforestry purposely combines the cultivation of trees and shrubs alongside other crops or livestock on agricultural plots. It has the potential to store carbon both above ground (in the woody biomass) and below ground (in root biomass and the soil).
Objectives
This project aimed to help companies and citizens in East Flanders offset their CO2 emissions by investing in carbon storage through agroforestry projects on local farms. Specific objectives included:
- Document and demonstrate profitable carbon-storage business models on farms using agroforestry as a contribution to the evolution towards a climate-neutral society.
- Launch a new tool for the treecological web platform to help farmers maximise carbon storage on their land and offer citizens or companies an opportunity to compensate their CO2 emissions by investing in these farms.
- Collect and disseminate existing information (e.g. scientific literature) on carbon storage in agroforestry systems.
- Involve a mix of conventional and organic companies, spread across East Flanders.
Activities
Project actions focused on improving knowledge and best practices in agroforestry. Information was collected to estimate the potential for carbon storage in East Flanders through agroforestry systems.
Desk research was conducted to gather and consolidate knowledge. This knowledge base was complemented by inputs from farmers participating in pilot actions. The pilot farms were already selected before the project started.
Farmers served as pilot companies, for which the project helped develop tailor-made business models using the most suitable agroforestry systems for each company.
All the project findings were coordinated within a new agroforestry handbook for local farmers. This included writing content promoting different advantages of carbon storage, e.g. increased soil fertility, greater resistance to erosion, and better water management.
Monitoring and collecting data from the pilot farms recorded an initial set of metrics as a baseline, after which progress was closely monitored. There is a commitment to provide follow-up measurements in Years 5 and 10 (after project completion). Monitoring data verified the predictions from the modelling scenarios and facilitated the implementation of reward mechanisms for farmers.
A new agroforestry section was added to the treecological website. This platform had previously been limited to afforestation-based CO2 storage and compensation.
Main results
- 10 ha of agroforestry were piloted on five farms, with 26 different tree species.
- 407 tonnes of CO2 were captured by pilot farm trees and soils during the project.
- 1 200 m of woodland boundaries (including hedges) were completed.
- The handbook enabled farmers to substantiate and optimise their choice of tree species, planting methods, and management practices in terms of carbon storage. The content promotes carbon storage via agroforestry as a business model for farmers, including practical guidelines on effective agroforestry techniques and calculating carbon storage potential.
- The compensation mechanism for farmers includes a five-year initial fixed payment to support the efforts needed to diversify productivity practices. Thereafter, the money paid is results-based and can vary.
Key lessons
- Well-managed agricultural landscapes can, in addition to food production, provide many other ecosystem services, including carbon storage.
- Agroforestry can provide many other ecosystem services, including preventing runoff and nutrient leaching, reducing erosion, and promoting functional biodiversity.
- In the first five years, the compensation is fixed (effort-based); after that, it is variable (result-based).
Trees and shrubs in and along the plots are crucial to protect the soil against heat and drought, and their leaf fall improves the soil quality.
I am convinced that in the context of climate change we all need to eat less meat, but also ‘better’ meat; locally grown, with food from the pastures or from the nearby fields.
By promoting these forms of agroforestry, we want to contribute to the maintenance and improvement of these valuable landscapes.
Contacts
Sander Van Daele