Journal article
Soil-based carbon farming: Opportunities for collaboration
Journal of rural studies, Vol.108, pp.1-14
05/2024
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Abstract
Soil-based carbon farming has been identified in previous research as a win-win for farm productivity and the mitigation of climate change through carbon sequestration. However, it faces numerous barriers to adoption, including low carbon prices, high transaction costs, information barriers and high uncertainty around future outcomes, markets and policy conditions. Collaboration between landholders and other stakeholders has been proposed as a potential means of overcoming some of these barriers, while maximising the benefits of soil-based carbon farming.
In this article, we present the results of a two-stage process investigating collaborative soil-based carbon farming in Australia, involving national-scale key informant interviews and a regional-scale Participatory Rural Appraisal. Fifty-three interviews were undertaken with key carbon farming stakeholders, including landholders, landholder groups, carbon service providers, government, researchers and the financial sector. Collaboration was seen to offer the greatest advantages in relation to knowledge-sharing and social support, followed by its potential to increase carbon income through enhanced bargaining power and the optimisation of co-benefits. The advantages of collaboration were less clear in relation to reducing costs or maximising farm productivity and collaboration also presents new challenges around risk and complexity. Under current conditions, informal collaboration models were seen to offer the best balance between the benefits and risks, with existing cooperatives also well-placed to diversify into carbon. Alternative conditions in the future or in other locations would be needed to facilitate models involving joint projects, pooled credits, shared land management and/or the creation of new carbon-specific cooperatives.
Details
- Title
- Soil-based carbon farming: Opportunities for collaboration
- Creators
- Alex Baumber - University of Technology SydneyRebecca Cross - The University of SydneyPeter Ampt - Ag&Env Consulting (Australia)Cathy Waters - GreenCollar (Australia)Jennifer Ringbauer - University of Technology SydneyIsabella Bowdler - University of Technology SydneyAmanda Scott - Southern Cross UniversityLorraine Gordon - Southern Cross UniversityAndres Sutton - UNSW SydneyGraciela Metternicht - Western Sydney University
- Publication Details
- Journal of rural studies, Vol.108, pp.1-14
- Publisher
- Elsevier Ltd
- Grant note
- This research is part of the AgriFutures Australia Carbon Initiative Program (PRO-013321), a $2 million investment across 15 projects to explore novel approaches to carbon storage, greenhouse gas emission reduction and emission avoidance, as well as methods to drive awareness, overcome barriers and develop market pathways for farmers, fishers and foresters).
- Identifiers
- 991013372618302368
- Copyright
- © 2024 The Author(s).
- Academic Unit
- Office of the PVC (Research and Education Impact); Faculty of Business, Law and Arts
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article