Carbon Farming in Contemporary Agriculture: Scientific Foundations & Digital Infrastructures
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Carbon farming is increasingly discussed as a land-management approach that can connect climate mitigation with soil restoration and farm resilience. In European and international policy debates, the term generally refers to practices that enhancecarbon sequestration in soils and biomass and, in some cases, reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agricultural land. Thispaper analyses carbon farming as both a biophysical process and a policy instrument, with additional attention to the digitalinfrastructures required for operational monitoring and thematic product delivery. It reviews the scientific basis of soil organiccarbon accumulation, analyses the principal practices associated with carbon farming, and evaluates their environmental co-benefits and implementation constraints. Particular attention is given to measurement, reporting, and verification challenges, including additionality, permanence, reversal risk, and the cost of monitoring soil carbon change. We argue that carbon farming should not be reduced to a narrow offset mechanism. Instead, it may improve soil health, water retention, biodiversity, and long-term resilience while contributing, within clear limits, to climate goals. Carbon farming can become a credible pillar of sustainable agriculture only when it is grounded in conservative accounting,fair incentives for farmers, and robust digital as well as policy architectures that reward ecological integrity rather than symbolic carbon claims.
Language: English
Subfield: Soil Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7204132645