Climate neutral agriculture through sustainable carbon farming (C-Farms) (C-FARMS)

C-Farms will develop a new innovation concept to transform agricultural land into a sustainable carbon sink, through the pioneer joint application of multiple soil-based negative emission techniques (NETs): enhanced silicate weathering, biochar application and soil organic carbon stabilization, re-valorizing silicate-containing- and organic waste streams.
The focus on these particular NETs is motivated by the potential win-win situation in agro-based enhanced weathering systems: a.o. crop yield and quality can be improved, while CO2 is actively captured from the atmosphere. C-Farms will investigate how current agricultural practices can be adapted to increase soil C sequestration, while maximizing ecosystem services to society, and will engage with relevant stakeholders to co-create a first pioneer field pilot for large scale deployment.
To achieve its ambition, C-Farms will implement an unprecedented experimental investigation of combined soil-based NET techniques, and conduct a coupled environmental, techno-economic and social impact assessment of the different NETs used. This will be complemented with specific research on the potential of activating silicates to enhance and accelerate C sequestration, while reducing CO2 emissions from a point source.
C-Farms’ ambition to perform strategic research to develop climate solutions in agriculture, fits perfectly within the Flemish ambition to invest in techno-economical solutions to climate change.
For the stakeholder transfer of the results, rather than waiting until the project is finalized, we propose a pro-active approach, in order to identify opportunities for follow-up R&D&I at a very early stage (horizon scanning). To this end, multiple workshops and a joint field pilot will be initiated, always with a prime implementation aim and focusing on post-project valorisation and implementation. A key outcome of C-Farms is the development of a policy implementation roadmap
for NETs in agriculture.