AgriCarbon, Anthesis’ pioneering carbon farming programme, has become the first carbon farming initiative in Africa to achieve registration and carbon credit issuance under Verra’s VM0042 Agricultural Land Management methodology.
This methodology quantifies the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and soil organic carbon (SOC) removals resulting from the adoption of improved agricultural land management practices. As one of Africa’s leading agricultural carbon programmes, AgriCarbon enables farmers to adopt regenerative farming practices such as cover cropping, reduced tillage, and diversified crop rotations. These techniques enhance soil health, boost agricultural productivity, and transform farmland into carbon sinks—removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and playing a crucial role in mitigating climate change.
The impact of regenerative farming
The AgriCarbon programme in South Africa commenced in 2021, and through sustainable agricultural practices adopted by 29 farmers across 17,582 hectares, has issued 39,207 tonnes of carbon credits. This significant milestone, supported by 70,000 unique data points collected over the initial three-year monitoring period, reinforces AgriCarbon’s leadership and its role in promoting climate-smart farming across the region.
A milestone for climate-smart agriculture
AgriCarbon’s success is built on a robust Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) system, ensuring transparency and accuracy in emissions reductions and removals. This achievement has been made possible through partnerships with leading agricultural consultancies Trace & Save and Intelact, whose expertise supports the programme’s MRV system, and the entire process was independently validated and verified by third-party auditor SCS Global.
Additionally, the soil carbon model was independently assessed by the Nutrient Management Institute (NMI) at the University of Wageningen in the Netherlands.
Expanding global impact
By generating high-quality carbon credits, AgriCarbon provides farmers with an additional revenue stream that helps overcome the barriers to adopting regenerative farming practices, ensuring the long-term resilience and sustainability of farming operations.
Unlike many organisations that simply source offsets, Anthesis also actively develops its own high-impact carbon projects. Through initiatives like AgriCarbon, Anthesis generates carbon credits and drives tangible improvements in soil health, biodiversity, and climate resilience while reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Supporting farmers and scaling sustainable solutions
Looking ahead, Anthesis is committed to expanding its impact, helping more farmers worldwide participate in carbon markets and contribute to climate action. The programme will continue providing farmers with technical support, training, and tools to maximise carbon sequestration and enhance climate resilience.
