Climate Farmers: Mediterranean North & South

The “Aggregated Project Mediterranean South (MDS) and Mediterranean North (MDN)” is a part of the Climate Farmers Carbon+ program. The aggregated project is developed by Climate Farmers and is tailored to farms located in the Mediterranean South & North. The project aims to generate financial incentives for farmers to encourage the adoption of regenerative agriculture resulting in GHG reductions and carbon removals. Regenerative agriculture can be described as an approach that goes beyond organic farming by focusing on rebuilding and regenerating the soil, as well as improving the overall health and biodiversity of the farm ecosystem. The project collects this data through a variety of methods including field visits, satellite imagery, and spot checks of farmers.

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The Carbon+ program has a heavy focus on water management, improving soil health, and improving farmer livelihoods through additional income streams or efficiency. Further, Climate Farmers highlights the work of individual farmers, including that of Manuel Troya. Troya has owned Pajaretillo, a family farm since the 60s. Located in Sierra Cádiz, Pajaretillo stands out for its regenerative livestock.

Through the Climate Farmers Carbon+ Program, farmer Troya is set to invest in a new water management system that will allow him to build resilience to extreme weather events into the core of his farm. He’ll also be able to extend the boundaries for where his livestock can graze, making his farm business more economically efficient. Beyond the economic and ecological benefits of Carbon+, Troya has also appreciated the social dimension of transitioning to regenerative agriculture. Through the program, he’s been able to connect with a diverse network of farmers throughout Europe to support his farm transformation.

Certifications

• ISO 14064-2 - The project's carbon credits are generated through their own ISO 14064-2 certified methodology and every project is verified by the external auditor Tüv.

The “Aggregated Project Mediterranean South (MDS) and Mediterranean North (MDN)” is a part of the Climate Farmers Carbon+ program and is tailored to farms in Portugal and Spain, incentivising regenerative farming practices. This project includes three farmers and their operations: Manuel Troya, Fransisco Alves, and Joao Venlete. These farmers each specialise in different forms of regenerative agriculture, including agroforestry and livestock.

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Climate Farmers was founded in order to build the infrastructure to scale regenerative agriculture in Europe. They connect farmers with each other through a Europe wide Peer to Peer learning community, help them create context specific transition plans and support them financially in their transition journey through the sale of carbon+ credits. Regenerative farmers are providing ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity increase and soil water holding capacity for all of us. If we want to get more farmers on the regenerative path, we need to pay them for these ecosystem services.

Their vision is a world where humans are living in harmony with nature. The first step to achieving that system is to grow our food in a way that is regenerating our planet instead of harming it. Climate Farmers believe that regenerative agriculture is the pathway to reach this goal.

“Out of 475 hectares on the farm, I only have access to water in about 250 Ha. Now that I can invest in a water network I can pump water up the hills. In doing so, I’ll be able to make the farm more resilient, use the land economically and at the same time regenerate paddocks.”

‍Manuel Troya, participating farmer

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