Carbon farming: Innovations, potential, and challenges for sustainable future

Carbon farming refers to agricultural practices aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration in soils and vegetation, thus contributing to climate change mitigation. Key practices such as agroforestry, conservation tillage, biochar application, and improved crop and livestock management helps in sequestering carbon in both biomass and soil, offering substantial potential for capturing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) and storing it in agricultural landscapes. Despite the considerable promise of carbon farming, its widespread adoption faces challenges, including the impacts of climate change, as well as limited access to resources, knowledge, and markets, particularly in developing countries like India. Nonetheless, carbon farming provides multiple co-benefits, such as enhanced soil health, increased biodiversity, improved agricultural productivity, and greater resilience to climate extremes. In India, carbon markets and public subsidies are key drivers, incentivizing farmers to adopt carbon farming practices by offering soil carbon certificates. India’s carbon stock has reached 30.43 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent, indicating that the country has already achieved 2.29 billion tonnes of additional carbon sequestration compared to the 2005 baseline, approaching its target of 2.5 to 3.0 billion tonnes by 2030. Furthermore, important government initiatives such as climate action plans, net-zero goals, de-carbonization, green hydrogen development, and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS) play a significant role in advancing sustainable carbon management. This article examines the global potential of carbon farming, with a particular focus on India, exploring its impact on carbon storage, the role of various practices, and the challenges involved in it promotion and adoption.