18 February 2022
The Welsh Government is committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 (a balance between the total greenhouse gas emissions produced and the total emissions removed from the atmosphere). It is recognised that every sector, including agriculture, has a role to play in reducing the production of greenhouse gas emissions. However, farming systems also have the capability to sequester (absorb) carbon from the atmosphere.
Soils may be carbon sinks (sequestering carbon) or sources (releasing carbon) depending on a number of factors, such as land use, management practices, climate and soil type. Changes in soil carbon stock occurs gradually over several years, and accumulation over time will reach an equilibrium. Quantifying a common baseline in soil carbon stocks is a challenge due to this. Nevertheless, quantifying and understanding soil carbon stocks has gained significant interest within the agricultural sector in recent years.
Detailed measurement and monitoring of carbon content within soils provide useful figures for benchmarking by assessing soil carbon levels in the future. Also, to understand the importance of managing soils in a manner that will have a positive impact on soil health, microbial activity, nutrient supply and crop yield.
Farming Connect’s demonstration network consists of cross-sector demonstration sites that vary in their farming systems, location, climate and soil type. The project will be replicated across all demonstration sites to provide a database from different farms.
The aim of this project is to determine the soil carbon stock of multiple fields from varying farming systems. In doing so, the aim is to provide an insight into carbon sequestration potential and current soil health as a result of differences in soil types and properties, as well as land use and management.
The project objectives will be as follows:
- Carry out a soil carbon audit on a proportion of the farm’s fields (fields that vary in their soil type/properties and use/management)
- Assess soil microbial activity by burying cotton material and evaluating its decomposition over time
The detailed data collected as part of this project will be used to provide an insight of current soil carbon stocks across different farming systems. It will also demonstrate how soil carbon stock can differ within a single farming system, as well as between different farming systems, depending on land use and the management practices implemented (and attempt to explain this).